Freshmen Pratt, Spears lead Tulane past South Florida 45-17

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Freshman Michael Pratt passed for a career-high 311 yards and three touchdowns and freshman Tyjae Spears ran for career-best 111 yards and two scores to lead Tulane past South Florida 45-17 on Saturday.

South Florida (2-9, 1-6 American Athletic Conference) accounted for the first and last touchdowns of the game but in between it was all Green Wave (2-9, 1-6 American Athletic Conference). Spears knotted the score at 7 with a 69-yard TD run on Tulane’s second play of the game. Pratt followed with scoring strikes to Cameron Carroll — covering 9 yards — and a 30-yarder to Tyrick James. Spears closed out the first quarter with a 6-yard TD run and Tulane led 28-7.

Pratt threw a 48-yard scoring strike to Jaetavian Toles in the second quarter, Carroll ran it in from 8 yards out in third and Merek Glover kicked a 36-yard field in the fourth to cap the run for Tulane.

Kel Joiner Jr. ran for 95 yards and a first-quarter TD for the Bulls. Cade Fortin had a 9-yard scoring run in the fourth on his only carry of the game.

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