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Watch: Brutal Tulane turnover leads to swing in AAC finale
Memphis Tigers running back Greg Desrosiers Jr. (13) breaks away from Tulane Green Wave linebacker Chris Rodgers (4) finishing off the play with a touchdown during the second quarter at Yulman Stadium. Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Watch: Brutal Tulane turnover leads to major swing in AAC finale

Tulane might have fumbled its chance to make the College Football Playoff.

Green Wave wide receiver Yulkeith Brown's 40-yard reception on a 3rd-and-7 during Tulane's opening drive of the second half turned into a disaster after Memphis defensive back Kourtlan Marsh forced a fumble inside the Memphis 20-yard line.

Tigers defensive back AJ Watts recovered the loose ball and returned it 37 yards.

Memphis scored a touchdown five plays later to complete the potential 14-point swing.

Running back Greg Desrosiers Jr. scored on a 29-yard scamper, his third touchdown.

CFP No. 17 Tulane (9-2, 7-0 in AAC) entered Week 14 as the top-ranked AAC team and one spot behind the highest-ranked Big 12 program, No. 16 Arizona State (9-2, 6-2 in Big 12).

The Green Wave could qualify for the 12-team CFP field as the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion, but a loss to Memphis would erase that possibility.

Brown's fumble and the Tigers' subsequent touchdown have made that more likely.

At the end of the third quarter, Tulane trailed 24-10.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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