Tulane has been living an upscale life, riding a five-game stretch of big wins and notoriety that includes a pelt not before seen in modern program history and a conference title.
The Green Wave has its collective eye on the top tier of group of five teams and a 2023 schedule that’s highly manageable — especially with the momentum and confidence that comes with this recent run of success.
No. 24 Tulane hosts Southern Miss next week, and no offense to the Golden Eagles, but the week-to-week pomp won’t carryover to that matchup.
No. 20 Ole Miss visits on Saturday to cap off the Tulane renaissance arrival, and the Rebels can put a sour note on this Wave winning streak. It’s Tulane’s first time to host a top-25 team since LSU in 2007, and it’s the first SEC team to visit Tulane’s on-campus stadium.
With respect to all the other opponents along the six-game way, including USC in the Cotton Bowl, Ole Miss awaits as the final boss, the Shang Tsung Tulane must topple to truly generate the glorified air that its not just the pluckiest of the non-Power Four but instead a formidable foe regardless of classification.
Willie Fritz’s reclamation project is alive and well — going from 2-10 in 2021 to 12-2 last year, but the Rebels are in the way of the final staircase Tulane wants to climb.
On November 12, 2022, UCF beat the Wave, 38-31, at Yulman Stadium behind former Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee’s 176 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. It dropped Tulane to a respectable but goal-disrupting 8-2 on the season.
That’s when the stretch started. Tulane routed SMU 59-24, and then went on the road and toppled American Athletic Confernence behemoth Cincinnati, 27-24. That same day Navy upset UCF, sending the Golden Knights to New Orleans for the AAC title game.
Plumlee was banged up and couldn’t run 100 percent, leading to Tulane’s blowout 2.5-touchdown win to claim the conference championship and a Cotton Bowl berth against USC.
Tulane scored 16 points in the final four minutes to beat the Trojans and Heisman winner Caleb Willams, 46-45. It was the Wave’s biggest bowl win since 1935 when it won the Sugar Bowl as an SEC member. Williams was hobbled with a hamstring injury but threw for 462 yards.
By most measures, an access bowl over a marquee brand to finish as the nation’s top group of five team is a bigger deal than a nonconference home game in September, but after Tulane beat Sun Belt contender South Alabama by 20 points last week in the season opener — another win in a contest billed as a measuring stick — the Rebels carry more weight in the Wave working past being a one-hit wonder.
Tulane has Ole Miss’ full attention. Its quarterback isn’t hurt, and there’s not the question of bowl motivation. The Rebels are working toward a 3-0 start prior to a road date at Alabama, a requirement if Ole Miss is getting back to an a major bowl for the second time in three seasons.
The Rebels are also searching for a little respect or at least a return to equilibrium after losing five of six to end 2022. Ole Miss has won the last 12 in the series and routinely turns New Orleans red and blue for this road matchup.
But instead of the Superdome with its unlimited seats, Yulman is less than half the size of the Saints’ home, and tickets are hard to obtain. It’s been a hard sell out for a month outside of the secondary market.
Ole Miss needs a win Saturday to stay the course. Following a home date with Georgia Tech in eight days, Alabama, LSU and Arkansas await in a three-game stretch before the bye week.
Lane Kiffin has spent the past five days touting Tulane and quarterback Michael Pratt. He’s worked hard to send the message that the game is a losable one without a notable effort.
The Rebels have a challenge on the way to more challenges. It’s the first test of the season and a road date that’s notable considering the number of transfers involved and the emphasis on continuity and cohesiveness.
Tulane is in line for a successful season regardless of Saturday. Vegas has the Wave’s over/under total at 9 or 9.5 wins, and that over feels comfortable, even with a loss to Ole Miss. The American won’t be decided this week.
The Rebels need to be methodical and hit the checkpoint on the way to bigger opportunities. It’s a proof of concept with more work to do.
But in this push up the pecking order, it is the big one for Tulane. The others, including USC, have built to this in a way of supreme validation. A top-half SEC team in town and a must if Tulane has any hope of flirting with playoff periphery come November.
What started with SMU in November ends — one way or another — with Ole Miss, the main event, on Saturday.
