Tulane Green Wave Learn Latest College Football Playoff Rankings Fate
Last week, the Tulane Green Wave were left out of the initial College Football Playoff rankings.
This Tuesday, the Green Wave played their way into the rankings, as they landed at No. 25 in the second release of the season.
Tulane (8-2, 6-0 in American) hasn’t lost since mid-September, when it fell in back-to-back games to power conference teams. The Green Wave are one of two undefeated teams in American action, along with Army West Point.
The Black Knights moved up one spot to No. 24.
If the Black Knights and the Green Wave wrap up conference action undefeated and as the top two teams, they will play one another in the AAC title game, with the site to be determined. The Green Wave has two league games remaining while Army has one.
The championship game is important because the committee will only consider the conference champion for the at-large berth given to the top-ranked Group of 5 champion.
For now, the Green Wave and the Black Knights are chasing Boise State, which was ranked No. 13, dropping one spot from No. 12. But, because they’re the highest-ranked Group of 5 team, the Broncos were seeded No. 12 and playing against Ohio State, which would be the No. 5 seed.
Tulane, Army and Boise State were the only three Group of 5 teams in the rankings. Those conferences are the American Athletic, Conference USA, the Mid-American, the Mountain West and the Sun Belt.
The Green Wave has two games remaining, starting with a trip to Annapolis, Md., to face Navy on Saturday. After that, Tulane will host Memphis on Thanksgiving day.
Army is idle this weekend and has two games remaining — a non-conference showdown with Notre Dame — which is inside the Top 12 teams in the rankings — and a home game against UTSA to wrap up league action.
Army will play Navy, but during its traditional second weekend in December slot.
The action down the stretch will determine who will host the AAC title game, which Tulane has hosted each of the last two seasons.
If Tulane beats Navy on Saturday, it will clinch a berth in the title game.
If Army and Tulane are tied and both are in the College Football Playoff rankings by season’s end, then their ranking will determine who hosts. If the game were today, Army would host Tulane.
