Tulane Green Wave, Navy Midshipmen Facing Off With Major Implications on the Line
Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall has done an excellent job in his first season at the helm of keeping his team even-keeled and focused.
His players have bought in, taking no opponent lightly and handling business every time they step on the field. It has helped put them in an incredible position, as they are ranked No. 25 in the country.
Of course, there is work that remains to be done.
They are riding a seven-game winning streak, which has pushed their record to 8-2 on the season with an undefeated 6-0 mark in American Athletic Conference play.
This weekend’s game against the Navy Midshipmen is a massive one. As Bill Connelly of ESPN shared in his Week 12 preview, there is a lot on the line in Annapolis on Saturday afternoon.
“This one's nearly an elimination game -- Tulane is in the AAC championship game against Army with a win, while Navy is nearly there with an upset. Tulane has won seven games in a row; the Green Wave now rank in the top 20 in points scored and points allowed per drive. But after dire performances against Notre Dame and Rice, Navy responded well in last week's easy win over South Florida,” the college football expert wrote.
Essentially, the Green Wave and Midshipmen are playing an elimination game.
There is even more at stake for Tulane, given their ranking and potential path to the College Football Playoff.
Their defense will certainly be tested by the unique offensive game plan the Midshipmen use. The health of their quarterback, Blake Horvath, is a major storyline to keep an eye on as he has struggled to produce at the same clip as earlier in the season because of a thumb issue.
Alas, making a run at the CFP will require some help.
The Boise State Broncos, currently holding down the Group of 5 automatic bid, would probably have to lose twice to fall out of the running.
The Army Black Knights would bolster the AAC if they were able to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish next weekend.
They are on a collision course with the Green Wave for the AAC Championship Game.
Victories over Navy, the Memphis Tigers to finish out the regular season, and a potentially ranked Black Knights team would be a nice resume booster for Sumrall’s squad.
They certainly pass the eye test with the dismantling they have done of opponents some tier below them, but the lack of a marquee win, as they fell to the Kansas State Wildcats and Oklahoma Sooners in competitive games, is what creates no room for error.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.