Tulane Gets High Conference Ranking in Preseason Publication
The Tulane Green Wave’s chances of returning to the American Athletic Championship football game could come down right to the wire if Phil Steele’s preseason rankings are an indication.
The college football expert’s recent publication has the Green Wave in a tie for second going into the season with Memphis. The only team ahead of the pair is UTSA.
Almost as if Steele and the conference office drew it up together, the Green Wave hosts Memphis to end the season on Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 28.
Last season both SMU and Tulane went undefeated in conference play and met in the league championship game at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans. SMU won, 26-14, robbing the Green Wave of a second straight league title.
UTSA was right behind the pair at 7-1, while Memphis went 6-2. The Tigers had a two-game lead on the rest of the conference for fourth place.
The Roadrunners were in their first year in the American after leaving Conference USA, where they won two straight C-USA titles under coach Jeff Traylor.
Memphis is an original member of the American and last won the conference title in 2019.
In 2022 Tulane won the American with a 7-1 league record and hosted UCF in the title game, winning 45-28. After the season UCF was one of three teams in the conference to leave for the Big 12, along with Cincinnati and Houston.
The rest of Steele’s preseason rankings included No. 4 USF, No. 5 East Carolina, No. 6 FAU and No. 7 North Texas. UAB and Rice were tied at No. 8, followed by Army West Point, which joins the league this year. Navy was No. 11, while Charlotte and Tulsa were tied at No. 12. Temple was last at No. 14.
Also in the same publication, six Green Wave football players were named to the conference preseason first team — back Makhi Hughes, defensive tackle Patrick Jenkins, linebacker Jesus Machado, linebacker Tyler Grubbs, long snapper Ethan Hudak and transfer wide receiver Mario Williams.
The Green Wave is adjusting to new coach Jon Sumrall, who was at Troy for two seasons before taking over. He replaced Willie Fritz, who left after the conference title game to take over at Houston. Fritz was 54-47 in eight season at Tulane, including a 2022 in which the Green Wave went 12-2, won the AAC title and beat USC in the Cotton Bowl Classic.
2024 Tulane Football Schedule
(home games in bold; times central; times and TV designations subject to change; *-denotes AAC game)
Aug. 29 vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Sept. 7 vs. Kansas State, 11 a.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Sept. 14 at Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Sept. 21 at Louisiana, time and TV TBA
Sept. 28 vs. USF*, time and TV TBA
Oct. 5 at UAB*, time and TV TBA
Oct. 19 vs. Rice*, time and TV TBA
Oct. 26 at North Texas*, time and TV TBA
Oct. 31 at Charlotte*, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Nov. 9 vs. Temple*, time and TV TBA
Nov. 16 at Navy*, 11 a.m., ESPN network
Nov. 28 vs. Memphis*, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
MATTHEW POSTINS