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November 17, 2012
By the Numbers: ECU 28, Tulane 23
Guerry Smith
TheWaveReport.com Minus-1: The number of yards Robert Kelley gained on third-and-2 from the East Carolina 8 when Tulane trailed 21-13 late in the third quarter, forcing the Green Wave to settle for a field goal. Inexplicably, Tulane tried to run on two consecutive plays after an 8-yard pass made it second-and-2 at the 8. The Wave could not run all day, so it was no surprise whatsoever when Kelley got stuffed twice in a row. Ryan Griffin needed to be throwing the ball there. Tulane did not cross midfield again until a too-little-too late TD drive in the final minutes.
0: The number of officiating calls in college football history worse than the one in which Tulane running back Josh Rounds was ruled down after catching a pass in the flat late in the first quarter. The Wave led 7-0, and Rounds raced deep into ECU territory before everyone realized the side judge had ruled his knee down right after the catch. Replays showed his knee not only was not down, but never came anywhere near the ground. The call made it fourth-and-1 at the Tulane 47, and a failed fake punt with Robert Kelley taking a short snap only compounded the problem. ECU immediately drove for a tying TD, changing what almost certainly would have been at least a 10-0 deficit into a tie at 7. Struggling teams like Tulane cannot afford bad breaks like that.
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