Tulane turned three first-half interceptions into points to spark a 23-3 victory over Northwestern on Saturday afternoon in the season opener for both teams at New Orleans.
BYU transfer Jake Retzlaff threw for 152 yards, rushed for 113 and accounted for two touchdowns as Tulane (1-0) defeated a Big Ten foe for the first time since upending Northwestern in 1956 when the Green Wave were in the SEC.
Javion White intercepted two passes to lead a revamped Tulane defense that forced five turnovers, broke up five passes and registered three sacks while allowing 237 total yards.
SMU transfer Preston Stone was 19-of-36 passing for 161 yards and a career-high four interceptions in his debut for Northwestern. Griffin Wilde caught six passes for 64 yards for the Wildcats.
Trouble started for Stone from the game’s first snap when he was stripped while getting hit from the blind side. Though the Wildcats recovered that fumble, Stone threw an interception two snaps later as he was drilled in the chest on the release.
Jahiem Johnson’s interception set up Tulane at its 48-yard line. Seven plays later, Retzlaff rolled out and found Justyn Reid uncovered in the back of the end zone for a 1-yard score and a 7-0 lead at the 10:27 mark of the first quarter.
The Wildcats settled down on their third possession and produced a 13-play, 67-yard drive that ended in Luke Akers’ 21-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in the first. Tulane responded with a pair of lengthy drives that netted Patrick Durbin’s 22- and 41-yard field goals for a 13-3 lead with 5:18 to go in the half.
After Stone’s third interception — an acrobatic leap along the sidelines by Kevin Adams III — Retzlaff sprinted 69 yards up the middle to make it 20-3 with 1:28 on the clock. Tulane finished the half with a 295-107 lead in total yards.
The Green Wave embarked on another time-consuming drive to start the second half, but again settled for a Durkin field goal, this time a 31-yarder, to boost the margin to 23-3.
