A tying touchdown with 10 seconds left sets up Dagan Bruno’s overtime score and a decisive Green Wave defensive stand.

That is another Wave Win!!!#RollWave 🌊 pic.twitter.com/2UkWsasSZg

— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB) October 31, 2026

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tulane was running out of time, but it still had one more answer. A tying touchdown with 10 seconds remaining, a fourth-down score in overtime and a final defensive stand carried the Green Wave to a 38–31 victory over Charlotte on Friday night.

The win at Jerry Richardson Stadium moved Tulane to 4–4 overall and 2–2 in the American. Charlotte fell to 1–7 and 1–3 after letting a 10-point fourth-quarter advantage slip away.

It was a comeback with consequences for Tulane’s season. One week after losing to UTSA, the Green Wave recovered from another difficult stretch and left the road with a conference victory.

Quick facts

• Final: Tulane 38, Charlotte 31, overtime.
• Turning point: An eight-play, 61-yard tying drive ended with Cameron Roberts’ 11-yard touchdown reception.
• Winning score: Dagan Bruno’s fourth-down quarterback sneak in overtime.
• Offensive leaders: Trace Johnson passed for 284 yards; Johnnie Daniels rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns.
• Next: Tulsa visits Yulman Stadium for Homecoming on November 7 at 11 a.m. Central.

The final chance became a tying drive

Charlotte led 31–24 late in regulation and had a chance to keep Tulane from getting the ball back in useful field position. Instead, its fake punt came up short. The Charlotte Post reported that Khamani Alexander’s run on fourth-and-four finished two yards shy of the first down.

Tulane took over with 1:52 remaining. Johnson moved the offense through an eight-play possession, then connected with Roberts for the 11-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Cooper Helmke’s extra point completed the recovery to 31–31.

The sequence punished Charlotte’s failed gamble and gave Tulane a fresh opportunity to win a game it had spent much of the night chasing. Every remaining possession now carried the same weight for both teams.

Bruno delivered, and the defense finished

Tulane took the first overtime possession and needed all four downs near the goal line. Bruno pushed in from short range on fourth down, putting the Green Wave ahead 38–31 after the kick.

Charlotte’s response reached first-and-goal at the four. Two runs gained only one yard before consecutive incomplete passes ended the contest.

The final stand gave the defense the closing play it needed. Charlotte had found enough offense to build its lead, but it could not produce the last touchdown required to extend the game.

Daniels and Smith kept Tulane in reach

Daniels finished with 99 rushing yards on 13 carries and two scores. His first touchdown completed a 92-yard opening possession; his second, in the third quarter, cut Charlotte’s halftime advantage to 24–21.

TJ Smith provided the biggest special-teams response. After Charlotte moved ahead 10–7 in the second quarter, Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.

Johnson completed 28 of 36 passes for 284 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Tulane’s official box score identifies Roberts as the receiver on the tying score.

The comeback should sharpen the review

Tulane’s mistakes helped create its predicament. Charlotte converted an early second-quarter turnover into a touchdown, then benefited from a fumbled kickoff on its next scoring opportunity. The 49ers piled up 24 points in that quarter.

The Green Wave also allowed Charlotte to rebuild a two-score margin in the fourth. Derrick Eley’s short touchdown run made it 31–21 before Helmke’s 27-yard field goal brought Tulane back within seven.

That leaves two clear lessons. Tulane showed it could execute while time was disappearing, and its earlier ball security still needs attention. A successful late drive does not reduce the cost of the possessions that made it necessary.

What it means, and what comes next

At 4–4, Tulane has restored some room to maneuver entering November. The immediate job is turning a dramatic recovery into a more consistent performance from the opening quarter.

Tulsa comes to New Orleans on November 7 for an 11 a.m. Central Homecoming kickoff. For the Green Wave, the priorities are straightforward: protect possession, avoid another long stretch of unanswered points and make the opponent earn its scoring chances.

Friday supplied proof that Tulane can finish under pressure. The next step is using that composure early enough to give itself a cleaner path to another win.

Keep up with TSC Media’s sports coverage at The Who Dat Daily and find our shows through TSC Media’s links.