How Can Tulane Pull Off the Unthinkable Against Ole Miss?
Tulane has a chance to silence all the haters this weekend, as they get set to square off against the Lane Kiffin-less Ole Miss Rebels. Led by quarterback Jake Retzlaff and a stout defense, they will have a clear shot at revenge. While many SEC talking heads and Notre Dame die-hards may see this as a mistake for college football, it really shows the beauty of the game, as it is important to give group of five teams a shot, as they do represent the majority of Division One college football. With an upset win in Oxford, we may see not just a change in the college football landscape, but a new approach to seeding teams.
After accepting a job to coach at the University of Florida a few weeks ago, many speculated whether current Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall would still be at the helm for the Green Wave for their CFP game. Plus, not only did he say he would coach, but he leaned so much into the idea of being a hybrid Tulane/Florida coach, as he updated his “X” background with the two schools’ logos. As for the actual matchup between these teams, Tulane is coming off a dominant victory over North Texas, which was expected to win the American Conference title. Meanwhile, Ole Miss hasn’t played since November, when it beat Mississippi State in convincing fashion.
If Tulane’s defense can play the way it has been since its last loss to UTSA, that will give its offense plenty of time to navigate Ole Miss’ defense. Trinidad Chambliss, the Rebels’ QB, is quite mobile, which could impact the scheming Tulane shows on Saturday, and how they defend his scrambling. At the bare minimum, if Tulane can upset Ole Miss, it will prove the point of group of five teams' ability to compete with SEC powerhouses and destroy the argument that they are too weak to play with the big boys. Even if they lose to Georgia in the next round, the fact that they made it there is an accomplishment. As for Ole Miss, a loss would be catastrophic, and we all know who the scapegoat would be and what his response may be.
