After a rough start to the Cure Bowl for the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (7-7), they were able to make it a competitive ballgame early in the fourth quarter, but Tulane (7-6) was able to hold off the rally in the final moments in a 41-24 win for the Green Wave.
The Cajuns offense started off hot on the opening drive with a six-play drive that was capped off by a 38-yard run by Raymond Calais to draw first blood. Tulane responded quickly with Darius Bradwell finding the endzone from 15 yards out to tie things up.
After the Green Wave held the Cajuns to a three-and-out, former LSU Tiger Justin McMullan connected with Terren Encalade on a 38-yard pass to take a 14-7 lead. Tulane wasn’t done in the first quarter though as they made it 21-7 with a one-yard run from Amare Jones.
After a 38-yard field goal from Merek Glover, the Cajuns tried to turn things around at the end of the first half when Acadiana High product Bralen Trahan picked off McMillan and ran it back to Tulane’s 37 yard line. Kyle Pfau chipped away at the Green Wave’s lead with a 43-yarder as the first half came to a close, making it 24-10.
The Cajuns defense came up huge to start the third quarter with a fourth-down stop and took advantage of it with a six-play drive that ended with Elijah Mitchell finding the endzone to make it a one-possession game. Glover made it a ten-point ballgame with another field goal, but Andre Nunez had a big moment early in the fourth quarter to get the Cajuns within three with a 13-yard pass to Jarrod Jackson.
Tulane responded with a methodical 13-play drive that was capped off by a four-yard touchdown by Bradwell with 3:49 left in regulation. It was going to take a miracle for the Cajuns to put up two scores, but not impossible.
However, Tulane’s defense came up with a big stop on fourth down deep in Tulane territory. Four plays later, McMillan put the final dagger in with a 16-yard jaunt into the endzone.
-Clint Domingue