Three Biggest Keys for Tulane Green Wave to Beat Navy Midshipmen
Facing a service academy can be a difficult experience, even for the best of teams. That's what awaits the Tulane Green Wave as they prepare for the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday.
The game is set for 11 a.m. central on ESPN2 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, MD.
Tulane (8-2, 6-0) is on a path that would allow it to play in the American Athletic Conference championship game for the third straight year. All the Green Wave has to do is win their final two games, with the finale set at home against Memphis on Thanksgiving Day.
The Green Wave are coming off a 52-6 win over Temple. For the third straight conference game Tulane scored at least 30 points. In fact, the Green Wave have failed to score at least 30 points in just one league game.
Navy (7-2, 5-1) could be an exception, simply by the nature of its unique offense. The Midshipmen run a triple-option offense that is among the most prolific running attacks in the country. Navy has added some passing to the mix this year, and for a couple of weeks it was ranked in the AP Top 25.
Navy also has motivation. With a win, it would force a tie for second place in the conference with Tulane. Then it would be the Midshipmen with the inside track to the AAC title game.
Here are Tulane’s three keys to success on Saturday.
Stop The Run
Everyone knows what Navy does best. But it’s a double-edged sword. Even though the Midshipmen have added to their passing game this year, they’re still going to lean on running the football and that means Tulane has to figure out how to slow down Navy’s tricky offense.
Five different backs have at least 200 yards for Navy this season. The quarterback, Blake Horvath, leads the way. But Alex Tezca and Eli Heidenreich are going to be factors in this game, too.
Navy has rushed for more than 2,000 yards this season. The Midshipmen are fifth in the country in rushing yards per game.
So, yeah, Tulane knows the job.
Dominate Time of Possession
Even though Navy runs an offense that gobbles up rushing yards, the Midshipmen don't lead the nation in time of possession. In fact, Navy isn't even in the Top 50. By contrast, another service academy, Army West Point, is second in time of possession.
This is where the game could turn. Tulane is third in time of possession, averaging more than 34 minutes per game, and behind only Oregon State and Army.
So yes, Navy can run the ball with the best of them. But Tulane knows how to hold onto the football with the best of them.
The winner of this category most likely wins the game.
Win The Turnover Game
The only thing Tulane didn’t do against Temple last week was claim a touchdown on defense or on special teams, which has turned into the program’s specialty this season.
Incredibly, the Owls went the game without committing a turnover, just the second time this season the Green Wave has failed to force a takeaway, the other being the loss to Kansas State.
But the fact remains that when Tulane forces two more turnovers in a game the Green Wave are 6-0. Tulane is now 2-2 with a turnover or fewer.
Forcing turnovers against Navy isn’t easy due to the nature of its offense. But the Green Wave needs to force at least one get an extra possession and help its offense.
