Tulane knocks down a pass in the end zone on final play to secure 26-19 victory over East Carolina

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jake Retzlaff passed for 347 yards and two touchdowns, and the Tulane defense batted down a pass in the end zone on the final play to secure a 26-19 victory over East Carolina on Thursday night.

After ECU tied it at 19-all with 5:48 left in the fourth quarter, Tulane went on a 12-play, 75-yard drive that took over five minutes of the clock. Javin Gordon caught a short pass and ran untouched into the end zone with 35 seconds left for the lead.

ECU marched down the field, aided by two pass interference calls, to get to the Tulane 36-yard line. But Katin Houser's Hail Mary pass was broken up as time expired.

Tulane (5-1, 2-0) improved to 6-2 against East Carolina (3-3, 1-1) since the programs joined the American Conference in 2014.

Houser was 19 of 30 for 180 yards and a touchdown for ECU.

Patrick Durkin made field goals of 30, 29, 21 and 40 yards in the first half to give Tulane a 12-0 lead at the break. ECU scored 16 straight points in the third quarter.

Retzlaff threw a deep pass over the middle that Zycarl Lewis Jr. caught and scored from 63-yards out to give Tulane a 19-16 lead with 10:51 left in the fourth.

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