NEW ORLEANS - James Proche's 67-yard touchdown reception from Ben Hicks with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter lifted SMU to a 27-23 win against Tulane Saturday at Yulman Stadium, givng the Mustangs sole possession of second place in the American Athletic Conference West Division.
 

Proche's touchdown gave SMU its only lead of the game as the Mustangs erased a 23-14 fourth-quarter deficit. Tulane quarterback Jonathan Banks had given the Green Wave a nine-point lead with his 3-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to cap a 12-play, 89-yard drive.

But SMU answered on its next possession as Braeden West scored on a 29-yard run to bring the Mustangs within two at 23-21.

SMU's defense held Tulane to a pair of three-and-outs down the stretch, allowing the Mustangs to take over with 1:31 left. An incomplete pass and a false start penalty left the Mustangs with second-and-15 from their own 33-yard line, but Hicks hit a deep ball to Proche, who shed a tackler and found the end zone to put the Mustangs ahead for the first time.

Hicks threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, while Proche had six catches for 93 yards. Reggie Roberson Jr. had seven receptions for 99 yards and a TD for the Mustangs, who have won three of their last four to improve to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in The American.

Tulane saw Banks finish with 153 passing yards as the Green Wave fell to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play.