Tulane Green Wave’s Latest Bowl Game Projection Keeps Them on Beach
While the Tulane Green Wave have trying to win the American Athletic Conference title on its mind, others are trying to determine which bowl game the team might end up at after the season is over.
The Green Wave (7-2, 5-0 in American) are still in line to reach the AAC title game, win the conference and compete for the one at-large berth given to the top-ranked conference champion from the Group of 5 conferences (American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt).
Tulane would have to win the league to claim that berth, assuming it was ranked ahead of Boise State, the program most believe has the best path to that berth. After the latest AP Top 25 was released, Tulane was one of three ranked Group of 5 programs, including AAC rival and undefeated Army West Point.
If it doesn’t, CBS Sports believes the Green Wave will hit the beach for bowl season.
A month ago, that’s where many sites had Tulane projected — heading to the Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 24.
Well, CBS now has the Green Wave hitting the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Dec. 23 against Liberty. It would be a showcase game of sorts for Tulane, as it would be the first of two bowl games that day, along with the Idaho Potato Bowl.
But, given Tulane’s goals under first-year coach Jon Sumrall, it would certainly be a step-down. The Green Wave have never played in that bowl game.
This will be the 17th bowl game in program history and Sumrall will be the 13th coach to guide the Green Wave to a bowl game.
Tulane is making a habit of making bowl games. Since 2018 the Green Wave have been to a bowl game in five of their last six seasons under former head coach Willie Fritz. That dates back to 2018 when they went to the Cure Bowl.
In 2019 Fritz and the Green Wave went to the Armed Forces Bowl, followed by a trip to the Idaho Potato Bowl in 2020.
After missing bowl season entire in 2021, the Green Wave had an incredible season as they won the AAC and claimed the at-large berth in the New Year’s Six Bowls designated for the non-power conferences. Tulane played in the Cotton Bowl and defeated USC, 46-45.
It was Tulane’s first berth in a New Year’s Day bowl game since the 1939 Sugar Bowl.
Last season Tulane reached the AAC title game for the second straight year but lost and ended up accepting a berth in the Military Bowl. With Fritz taking the job in Houston, assistant coach Slade Nagle led the Green Wave in the bowl game before Jon Sumrall took over.
Before Fritz, the only other Tulane head coach to take the Green Wave to multiple bowl games was Chris Scelfo, who led them to the 1998 Liberty Bowl and the 2000 Hawai’i Bowl, which just happens to be their only other bowl trip to the islands.
