Tulane had a chance late to earn its first homecoming win at Yulman Stadium, but miscommunication doomed the Wave.
On fourth-and-1 from the Cincinnati 14 with less than two minutes left, Tulane jumped offsides, and the ensuing 36-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left as Cincinnati spoiled homecoming with a 17-16 American Athletic Conference victory before a crowd of 20,798 Saturday.
"I'm disappointed with the end of the game," Tulane coach Willie Fritz said. "We were trying to cold call it and see what they were in up front, and unfortunately we jumped. That put us in a fourth-and-6, and we had to kick the field goal.