The Tulane Green Wave has a new head coach, a new team and the same goal: to win the American Athletic Conference and perhaps secure a spot in the College Football Playoffs as the best Group of 5 team in the country.
According to a recent bowl prediction by Brett McMurphy of the Action Network, the Green Wave will not achieve that goal, but will still participate in a bowl game.
First, he could place Texas State in the CFP field, which would mean the Bobcats would win the Sun Belt Conference and finish as the top-ranked conference champion in the Group of 5.
Instead, he sends Tulane to Tampa, Florida, to play in the Gasparilla Bowl against – surprise – former AAC rival Cincinnati. The Bearcats are now in the Big 12 Conference.
Predictions are far from reality and the Green Wave still has time to change the picture of their season despite a coaching change.
New coach Jon Sumrall, a former Tulane defensive coordinator, returns to the Green Wave after a two-year stint at Troy. He led the Trojans to a 23-4 record and two consecutive Sun Belt titles. He took the job at Tulane after last year’s Sun Belt championship game.
He replaces Willie Fritz, who left the team after last year’s conference title game to take over in Houston. Fritz was 54-47 in eight seasons at Tulane, including 2022 when the Green Wave went 12-2, won the AAC title and defeated USC 46-45 in the Cotton Bowl Classic.
Last year, Tulane failed to defend its AAC title, losing to SMU in the championship game. The Mustangs are now in the ACC.
Tulane begins the season on Aug. 29 at home against Southeastern Louisiana, a Thursday night game at Yulman Stadium. That gives the Green Waves more than a week to prepare to host Kansas State on Sept. 7.
Tulane’s next two games are away – at Oklahoma on September 14 and at Louisiana on September 21. This concludes the non-conference play.
The Green Wave open AAC play at home against USF on September 28, followed by the league opener on the road at UAB on October 5.
After an off week, Tulane has a home game against Rice on Oct. 19 before two road games in five days. First, the Green Wave travels to Denton, Texas, to face North Texas on Oct. 26, followed by a Thursday showdown in Charlotte on Oct. 31.
After more than a week off, the Green Wave hosts Temple on November 9, followed by an away game at Navy on November 16. The season concludes with a home game against Memphis on Thursday, November 28.
