NEW ORLEANS – It
was ULM (2-2) early and often on Saturday afternoon as the Warhawks cruised to
a 63-10 win at Tulane (0-4) inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Junior quarterback Kolton Browning
led the charge as he went 15-for-21 for 253 yards and three touchdowns,
including a long strike of 52 yards.
With his performance, Browning surpassed 6,000 career passing yards and
1,000 season passing yards.
The ULM defense scored twice, once on a Darius Lively
interception and again on a R.J. Young interception that was recovered by Ray
Stovall in the endzone for the score. It held Tulane to 151 total yards and 11
first downs.
Jyruss Edwards rushed 11 times for 56 yards and two
touchdowns to move into a tie for fifth with Joe Profit with 19 career-rushing
touchdowns. DeVontae McNeal finished with 114 yards on 10 carries and one
touchdown. ULM rushed for 222 yards while Tulane finished with -9 yards on the
ground. Je'Ron Hamm caught three balls for 86 yards and a touchdown to lead the
ULM receiving corps. The ULM offense totaled 553 yards.
The Warhawks chose to go on offense to begin the game after
winning the coin toss and used a five-play, 84-yard drive using 2:06 to go up
7-0 with 12:54 left in the first quarter. Browning found Je'Ron Hamm for 52
yards before a roughing the passer penalty on Tulane moved the Warhawks to the Green
Wave's 16-yard line. Edwards finished the drive with a seven-yard touchdown
run.
A methodical drive would lead to the Warhawks next score as
Browning found Kevin Steed for a three-yard touchdown pass to give ULM a 14-0
lead with 3:30 left in the opening quarter. The drive lasted 15 plays and ate
6:35 of clock.
Young picked off D.J. Ponder and returned it 49 yards before
fumbling into the endzone where Stovall recovered to give the Warhawks a 21-0
lead with 11 seconds left in the first quarter. The play was reviewed but was
confirmed.
Following a interception thrown by ULM senior quarterback Cody Wells, Tulane
converted a 54-yard field goal attempt to get on the board, 21-3, with 12:25
left in the first half.
ULM converted two third downs and used three Tulane
penalties to drive down the field. Browning connected with Hamm again -- this
time for a 29-yard touchdown pass -- to give ULM a 28-3 lead with 7:24 left in
the half.
Browning continued to have success through the air and found
Tavarese Maye after getting rushed out of the pocket for a 38-yard touchdown
pass. ULM led 35-3 with 4:44 left in the half.
At halftime, ULM was outgaining Tulane 291 to 43 and held
the first down advantage, 15-4.
ULM's offense picked up where it left off with a five-play,
51-yard scoring drive -- highlighted by three carries by Edwards totaling 34 yards
including the three-yard score -- to give ULM a 42-3 lead.
Wells entered the game for his second series and found
Rashon Ceasar (his first career catch) for a 59-yard reception and then
scrambled for another 14 yards. Monterrell Washington finished the drive with a
one-yard touchdown carry, giving ULM a 49-3 lead with 9:16 left in the third
quarter.
Lively picked off Ponder and returned it six yards for a
touchdown and extended the visitors' lead to 56-3 with 5:54 left in the third
quarter.
Tulane collected its first touchdown of the day on an
18-yard pass from Ponder to Ryan Grant. With 12:05 left in the game, ULM led
56-10.
Tulane's Ponder finished 21-for-44 for 160 yards, one
touchdown and three interceptions.
McNeal capped a nine play, 94-yard drive with 42-yard touchdown run to give the Warhwaks a 63-10 lead with 2:51 to play in the game. The 42-yarder was the longest run of McNeal's career and it also marked his first career touchdown run.
The Warhawks will stay on the road and play at Middle
Tennessee next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
ULM - 7 yard TD run by J. Edwards (J. Manton XP) 5-85-2:06
ULM 7-0
ULM - 3-yard TD catch from K. Browning to K. Steed (J.
Manton XP) 15-76-6:35 ULM 14-0
ULM - R.J. Young interception returned for 55 yards,
R. Stovall recovered for TD in endzone (J. Manton XP) ULM 21-0
2nd Quarter
Tulane - 54-yard field goal
from C. Santos 4-3-) 0:54 ULM 21-3
ULM - 29-yard pass from K. Browning to J. Hamm (J.
Manton XP) ULM 28-3
ULM - 38-yard pass from Browning to T. Maye (J. Manton
XP) ULM 35-3
3rd Quarter
ULM - 3-yard run by J. Edwards (J. Manton XP)
5-51-1:19 ULM 42-3
ULM - 1-yard run by M. Washington (J. Manton XP) 5-85-1:55
ULM 49-3
ULM - 6-yard INT return by D. Lively (J. Manton XP)
ULM 56-3
4th Quarter
Tulane - 18-yard pass from
D.J. Ponder to R. Grant (C. Santos XP) 7-39-2:39 ULM 56-10
ULM - 42-yard run by D. McNeal (J. Manton XP)
9-94-4:20 ULM 63-10
