The No. 20 Tulane football team (11-2) achieved the program’s second consecutive historic victory with a 34-21 win over No. 24 North Texas (11-2) on Friday night, Jan. 5, at Yulman Stadium, securing a spot in the 2025 American Conference Championship.
North Texas struck first, as Drew Mestemaker connected with Tre Williams on an 11-yard touchdown to cap a 15-play drive, putting the Mean Green ahead 7-0 with 8:32 remaining in the first quarter.
Tulane responded with a 16-play drive that concluded on a fourth-down conversion, as Jake Retzlaff ran it in from the two-yard line with 30 seconds left in the opening quarter, tying the game at 7.
The Green Wave’s defense forced and recovered a fumble on the ensuing possession. Tulane capitalized quickly, driving 37 yards over two plays, ending with Jamauri McClure‘s 7-yard rush at the 12:29 mark of the second quarter, giving Tulane a 14-7 lead.
Following another defensive stop, Tulane added a 30-yard field goal from Patrick Durkin, his 23rd of the season—tying the school single-season record—to push the lead to 17-7 with 5:46 remaining before halftime.
A muffed punt that hit off a North Texas player led to another short field for Tulane. The offense took advantage as Retzlaff scampered in on a one-yard touchdown run as the clock hit zero, extending the lead to 24-7 at halftime.
The Green Wave’s defense scored next when Chris Rodgers intercepted a pass on fourth down and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, making it 31-7 at the 7:32 mark of the third quarter. It marked Tulane’s first non-offensive touchdown of the season.
North Texas responded with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Mestemaker to Miles Colman, cutting the lead to 31-13 with 19 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Mean Green kept fighting, scoring again on a nine-yard rush by Ashton Gray, who also converted the two-point attempt, bringing the score to 31-21 with 9:35 remaining.
Durkin then added his fifth field goal—his career-long 52-yarder—with 2:51 left, sealing the 34-21 victory after Jahiem Johnson‘s interception on North Texas’s final drive. Durkin’s 52-yard field goal was the longest in school history since Brad Palazzo’s in 1997, and his five field goals tied the school record.
Following the game, safety Jack Tchienchou was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship Game.
Next, Tulane will learn its opponent when the first round of the College Football Playoff seedings are announced on Sunday, Dec. 7, starting at 11 a.m.
