NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jaylin Lucas ran for a career-high 214 yards, Kadin Semonza connected with Destyn Hill on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:17 remaining in the fourth quarter, and Tulane defeated South Alabama 28-24 on Saturday night in a game where the lead changed hands on each of the last five touchdowns.

Lucas, a transfer from Florida State who also played at Indiana, had 11 carries that included a 54-yard non-scoring run and an 80-yard touchdown. He had three carries for three yards in Tulane’s season-opening loss to Duke.

On Saturday, South Alabama opened the third quarter at its own 8-yard line after a muffed kickoff. On the fifth play of the drive Bishop Davenport’s deep pass to Anthony Eager resulted in a 43-yard touchdown and a 17-14 lead. The Green Wave regained the lead at 21-17 on Lucas’s 80-yard touchdown run later in the quarter.

South Alabama regained the lead on Davenport’s 17-yard pass to Brendan Jenkins midway through the fourth quarter.

Semonza passed for 212 yards and Hill caught four passes for 91 yards as the Green Wave (1-1) won in first-year coach Will Hall’s home opener.

Davenport threw for 296 yards and Jenkins caught nine passes for 119 yards with one touchdown for the Jaguars (1-1).

South Alabama had first-quarter drives of 63 and 73 yards, resulting in a field goal and PJ Martin’s 16-yard touchdown run for a 10-0 lead.

The Green Wave came back with two long drives of their own in the second quarter, going 65 and 95 yards for short touchdown runs by Johnnie Daniels. Tulane led 14-10 at halftime.

Up next

Tulane: at Kansas State on Saturday.

South Alabama: vs. Ohio on Saturday. —-