Ole Miss vs. Tulane Ranked Among Top Non-Conference Games in 2023

Before taking on their SEC opponents next fall, the Ole Miss Rebels must face an early challenge in Week 2 when they travel to take on the Tulane Green Wave.

OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels have been dealt the most difficult schedule in the Southeastern Conference this fall, with their projected win total currently sitting at just 7.5 wins. 

The Rebels open conference play in Week 4 with a road trip to Tuscaloosa to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide before heading home to welcome the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks on back-to-back weekends, respectively. Before Ole Miss even begins conference play, however, the Rebels have an early road test in Week 2 against one of the best Group of Five schools in the nation, the Tulane Green Wave.

Tulane finished the 2022 season as the No. 1 program in the American Athletic Conference with an overall record of 12-2 (7-1, AAC), being named the No. 9 team in the final AP Top 25 Poll of the year. The Green Wave earned a Top 10 selection after taking down the No. 12 USC Trojans in a thrilling 46-45 shootout in the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic. While it is a non-conference opponent, Tulane will not be a team to be taken lightly early in the season.

247Sports released rankings for the Top 10 non-conference matchups in 2023 on Thursday, and Ole Miss versus Tulane was rated as No. 10.

Here is the excerpt on why the Rebels taking on the Green Wave will be must-see TV.

Normally, an SEC team traveling to play against a Group of Five school would not garner much national attention, but Tulane is no ordinary G5 squad. The Green Wave tied a program record with 12 wins last year, capping off the breakthrough season with a win over USC in the Cotton Bowl. Head coach Willie Fritz has Tulane as a prime candidate to repeat as the G5 representative in the New Year's Six, and the Green Wave get an early opportunity to prove themselves against an Ole Miss team rife with talent at the quarterback position.

Facing Tulane in Week 2 will be a great test to see what this Ole Miss squad is made of. Rebels coach Lane Kiffin spent another offseason attacking the NCAA Transfer Portal and came out with an impressive haul of quarterbacks, offensive weapons, and defenders who will provide an immediate impact in Pete Golding's defense. 

One of the most recent additions to the Ole Miss defense actually has a history with the Green Wave. Former Tulane transfer Jadon Canady annoucned his commitment to Ole Miss on Thursday after spending the last two seasons in New Orleans.

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You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

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