It was a back and forth affair on Saturday night between the Ragin Cajuns and Tulane that went to four overtimes and the Green Wave were able to hold off the Cajuns by the score of 41-39.
The offense for the Cajuns started off sluggish with Anthony Jennings fumbling the ball and giving Tulane the ball, but a gutsy play call by Willie Fritz didn’t pay off as they tried to go for it on 4th down instead of taking the points. The decision turned out to bite them in the back with the Cajuns matching down the field and having Stevie Artigue nail a 40-yarder to make it 3-0.
After another three and out by Tulane, the Cajuns made it 6-0 after another successful kick from Artigue, this time from 39 yards.
Tulane wasn’t about to take it lying down though as they responded with an interception and took it to the Cajuns 13. But the Cajuns defense continued to shut down the Green Wave holding them to three points from Andrew DiRocco to cut the lead in half. Later in the second quarter, another interception gave Tulane even better field position but the defense didn’t let up making them kick again to tie things up as it closer to halftime.
Tulane continued to be good with field goals after Eli McGuire, who filled in for Gary Haynes on punt returns after he left the game with a knee injury, fumbled the return and gave Tulane ideal field position, which set them up with a 9-6 lead. Later in the third quarter the Cajuns forced a three and out and blocked the ensuing punt giving them the ball at the three yard line. However, all they got out of it was a field goal to tie things up from Artigue who was perfect after a poor performance last Saturday against South Alabama.
Tulane managed to get into the endzone for the first time late in the third with Glen Cuillette completing a pass to Terren Encalade for 34 yards to make it 16-9. The Cajuns responded in the fourth with a lengthy drive that ended with a 4th and goal at the one that was converted with a run from McGuire. And the game would go to overtime. And then another. And then another. Then Tulane was able to hold off the Cajuns late by stopping the Cajuns from scoring the two-point conversion to tie things up and force a fifth overtime.
The Cajuns drop to 2-2 and head over to New Mexico State (1-3) with kickoff set for 7 pm.
-Clint Domingue