Mooney helps Tulane to 3rd straight win, beating E. Carolina
Tulane WR breaks free from defense and scores long TD
Tulane wide receiver Darnell Mooney catches the slant and takes off for the 79-yard touchdown.
NEW ORLEANS -- Darnell Mooney caught six passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns to help Tulane hold off East Carolina 24-18 for its third straight victory on Saturday.
Tulane (5-5, 4-2), which had never posted three consecutive victories in the American Conference, won three in a row for first time since 2013.
Justin McMillan, who passed for 372 yards, threw three touchdown tosses of over 70 yards as Tulane rolled to a 21-10 lead early in the third. McMillan hit Mooney on an 86-yard scoring strike to start the scoring, nailed Terren Encalade on a 73-yarder in the second and connected with Mooney again, this time on a 79-yard touchdown toss early in the third.
The Green Wave still had to hold off East Carolina (2-7, 0-6) as Holton Ahlers nailed Trevon Brown on TD tosses of 80 and 31 yards as the Pirates closed to 21-18 early in the final quarter.
Merek Glover booted a 33-yard field goal to give Tulane a little more breathing room, 24-18, with 7:35 remaining.
Ahlers threw for 360 yards and ran for another 67. Brown caught eight passes for 161 yards.
Game Information
2023 American Athletic Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| SMU | 8-0 | 11-3 |
| Tulane | 8-0 | 11-3 |
| UTSA | 7-1 | 9-4 |
| Memphis | 6-2 | 10-3 |
| South Florida | 4-4 | 7-6 |
| Rice | 4-4 | 6-7 |
| Navy | 4-4 | 5-7 |
| North Texas | 3-5 | 5-7 |
| UAB | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Florida Atlantic | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Charlotte | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| Tulsa | 2-6 | 4-8 |
| Temple | 1-7 | 3-9 |
| East Carolina | 1-7 | 2-10 |
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