NEW ORLEANS — Jake Retzlaff ran for four touchdowns and Tulane held off a late push to beat Duke 34–27 on Saturday night at Yulman Stadium in a game that featured former Green Wave starter Darian Mensah at quarterback for the Blue Devils.

Retzlaff scored on runs of 19, 6 and 20 yards to help Tulane (3–0) build a 24–3 lead with 1:54 left in the first half, then added an 11-yard keeper midway through the third to make it 31–16. He finished 15 of 23 for 245 yards passing and 17 carries for 111 yards with the four rushing TDs. Patrick Durkin hit field goals of 29 and 27 yards, and the Green Wave went 6-for-6 in the red zone.

Mensah — who transferred to Duke after starting for Tulane last season — kept the Blue Devils (1–2) in it with 313 yards passing and three touchdowns (29, 3 and 4 yards), but also threw one interception. His 4-yard strike and two-point run with 2:57 left pulled Duke within 34–24, and Todd Pelino’s 47-yard field goal at 1:06 made it a one-score game. Tulane recovered the ensuing kick and ran out the clock.

Tulane totaled 426 yards (156 rushing, 270 passing) and averaged 6.8 yards per play. Receiver Shazz Preston had 95 yardson three catches, including a 63-yard grab, and Omari Hayes added 4 for 69. Duke finished with 452 yards and went 6 of 14 on third down but only 3 of 5 in the red zone; Pelino also made a 28-yard kick and had a 41-yard attempt blocked.