3 Reasons Why Tulane Could Have Trouble Facing Army on Road in AAC Championship
After Army defeated UTSA in a hard-fought win on Saturday, Tulane's destination for where they would be playing in the conference championship game was set.
The Green Wave will travel to West Point, New York to fight for the 2024 AAC title, something that is foreign to this program after they have hosted the last two championship games in as many years.
With that in mind, traveling to upstate New York at this point of the calendar could present the team from New Orleans some issues.
Here are three reasons why Tulane could have some trouble in the title game.
Army Has Perfect Home Record
With Army clinching home-field advantage, their championship odds increase by a wide margin. Overall, the Black Knights sit high with a 10-1 record, but Tulane's concerns should stem from Army's 6-0 mark. Although the Green Wave have been 5-1 away from home, West Point's atmosphere could pose an issue for Tulane.
At home, Army's opponents are surrounded by an overwhelming crowd in a stadium able to seat 30,000 fans. Pride and enthusiasm from the supporters, along with Army's determination to grab their first conference championship, will be a hard challenge for the Green Wave to overcome.
When looking at things from a football perspective, the Black Knights have crushed their opponents in West Point, outscoring teams 217-86 on their way to averaging 36.2 points per game at home.
The Weather Factor
Tulane is going to have to become familiar with the cold real quick.
Michie Stadium sits alongside Lusk Reservoir, welcoming a nice water-front breeze during the games.
The northern weather in December will pose a huge challenge for the New Orleans-based team. Playing football in freezing weather can greatly impacts basic football functions, including passing and catching quarterbacks and receivers aren't used to the temperature.
Tulane will have to be ready for this aspect of the game, with the Weather Channel projecting a high of 32 degrees during the day, but down at 20 degrees at night with anywhere from 9-16 mph winds.
Army Is Now Ranked
After the Green Wave fell to Memphis, they were dropped from the AP Poll Top 25 rankings, losing the number next to their name.
Their conference opponents, however, moved back into the rankings, sitting at No. 24.
Although these rankings are based on numerous factors and won't mean much regarding what should take place on the field, they still signal how the teams are performing.
Dropping out of the top 25 pushes the Green Wave out of the College Football Playoff picture, which could lead to a lack of focus.
Tulane will need to build rebound after this loss rather than succumb to it.
Army's momentum on their home turf will be difficult to match, especially now that they're ranked again, so the Green Wave will need to be prepared for everything thrown at them as the Black Knights look to make program history.
The game will be broadcast live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
