Tulane holds off SMU for 34-27 victory

• By LES EAST
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Sep 26, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:50 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — SMU coach June Jones is known for his high-scoring “run-and-shoot” offense, but Tulane unleashed its own run and shoot in a 34-27 Conference USA victory against the Mustangs on Thursday night in the Superdome.

It was Andre Anderson doing the running and Kevin Moore and Jeremy Williams doing the shooting.

Anderson rushed for 219 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries, and Moore completed 19-of-24 for 254 yards and a three touchdowns. Williams caught six of those passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game. It was Anderson’s second 100-yard game of his career and second in six days.

“Andre Anderson had a Matt Forté kind of night,” Tulane coach Bob Toledo said, referring to the former Green Wave workhorse who ran for more than 2,000 yards last season, “and Jeremy Williams came up with a couple of big plays in the first half.”

SMU’s run and shoot stumbled and misfired throughout the first half before mounting a second-half comeback that fell short.

The Green Wave, 2-2 and 1-1 in C-USA after winning its second straight, concludes its four-game homestand when it plays its Homecoming game against Army on Oct. 4 in Tad Gormley Stadium. The Mustangs are 1-4 and 0-2 in Jones’ first season after a very successful nine-year tenure as head coach at Hawaii.

Tulane seemed in command after Moore’s three touchdown passes gave it a 31-7 halftime lead. But two turnovers — a fumble by Kasey Stelly and a Moore interception — set up 25- and 49-yard field goals by Thomas Marstead, getting SMU within 31-13 after three quarters.

The Mustangs were in position to kick another field goal at the outset of the fourth quarter, but Jones chose to go for fourth-and-3 at the Green Wave 31. Bo Levi Mitchell completed a 13-yard pass to Emmanuel Sanders, then on the next play that pair teamed up for an 18-yard touchdown pass. That made it 31-20 with 14:21 left.

On its next possession, Tulane went for fourth-and-1 at the SMU 39 and Anderson broke free for a 37-yard gain, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty. The Green Wave then punted, and the Mustangs took over at their eight.

Mitchell tried to go deep, but Josh Lumar made a leaping interception at the SMU 46 with 8:23 left to play.

That led to Ross Thevenot’s 43-yard field goal and a 34-20 lead with 4:01 left.

Three Tulane penalties for 45 yards — roughing the passer against Reggie Scott, unsportsmanlike conduct against Justin Adams, and pass interference against Charles Harris — spurred a Mustangs drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell to Terrance Wilkerson. That got SMU within 34-27 with 2:03 left.

The Mustangs kicked the ball deep instead of trying an onsides kick and Anderson ran out the clock.