By Rich Chrampanis
Just a year ago, Alex Bauman was a two-sport standout for Red Bank Catholic. Now he’s responsible for one of the most thrilling finishes in the college football bowl season. Bauman caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Michael Pratt with nine seconds left to give Tulane a 46-45 win over the University of Southern California and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.
The true freshman came into the game with five catches for 66 yards on the season, but in one of the biggest games in Tulane’s history, Bauman came through with three catches for 46 yards and the game-winning score.
After a 16-yard catch earlier in the game, he had a critical 24-yard catch on fourth down to keep the Green Wave alive on its final drive. When Pratt fired to the end zone on third down, the pass was originally ruled incomplete but video replay showed Bauman’s tremendous concentration, not allowing the ball to touch the ground as he managed to maintain position despite a Trojans defender all over him.
“I kept my hand under the ball and scored,” Bauman said. “I knew right away that I scored. I know the replay did show it but not everyone was convinced. It all goes back to my teammates and my coaches having trust in me to make a play.”
It’s safe to say Bauman was part of a historic moment in Tulane football. The Green Wave was 2-10 in 2021 before jumping up to 12 wins in 2022 and the school’s first major bowl win since 1934.
The article originally appeared in the January 5 – 11, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
