Tulane Green Wave to Face Former AAC Rival in Insider’s Bowl Game Projections

The Tulane Green Wave are hoping to reach a bowl game at season’s end and this prediction has them playing a former conference foe.

Dec 27, 2023; Annapolis, MD, USA; Tulane Green Wave defensive back Lance Robinson (7) reacts after linebacker Tyler Grubbs (not pictured) scores a touchdown after recovering a Virginia Tech Hokies fumble during the first quarter at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Tulane Green Wave has a new head coach, a new staff and the same goal — win the American Athletic Conference and, perhaps, claim the College Football Playoff berth for the top Group of 5 team in the country.

In a recent bowl projection by The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, the Green Wave fall short of that goal — but still make a bowl game.

First, he has Texas State making the CFP field, which would mean the Bobcats would win the Sun Belt Conference and finish as the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion.

Instead, he has Tulane headed to Tampa, Fla., to play in the Gasparilla Bowl against — surprise — former AAC rival Cincinnati. The Bearcats are now in the Big 12 Conference.

Predictions are a long way from reality, and the Green Wave has time to change the landscape of their season, in spite of a coaching change.

New coach Jon Sumrall, a former Tulane defensive coordinator, returns to the Green Wave after a two-year stint at Troy. He led the Trojans to a 23-4 record and won two straight Sun Belt titles. He took the Tulane job after last year’s Sun Belt Championship game.

He replaces Willie Fritz, who left after last year’s conference title game to take over at Houston. Fritz was 54-47 in eight seasons at Tulane, including a 2022 in which the Green Wave went 12-2, won the AAC title and beat USC, 46-45, in the Cotton Bowl Classic.

Last year Tulane fell short of defending their AAC title, losing to SMU in the championship game. The Mustangs are now in the ACC.

Tulane starts the season at home against Southeastern Louisiana on Aug. 29, a Thursday night game at Yulman Stadium. That gives the Green Wave more than a week to prepare to host Kansas State on Sept. 7.

Tulane’s next two games are on the road — at Oklahoma on Sept. 14 and at Louisiana on Sept. 21. That ends non-conference action.

The Green Wave opens AAC action at home on Sept. 28 against USF, followed by the league road opener at UAB on Oct. 5.

After a bye week, Tulane gets a home game against Rice on Oct. 19 before a pair of road games in a five-day span. First, the Green Wave heads to Denton, Texas, to face North Texas on Oct. 26, followed by a Thursday showdown at Charlotte on Oct. 31.

After more than a week off, the Green Wave hosts Temple on Nov. 9, followed by a road trip to Navy on Nov. 16. The season ends with a Thursday showdown with Memphis on Nov. 28 at home.