Tulane has been one of the best programs in the American Conference and the Group of Six in the past few years.
In 2025, the Green Wave went 10-2 during the regular season with two Power Four wins, including a victory over ACC champion Duke. Then they followed that by beating North Texas in the AC Championship to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, where they lost in the first round to Ole Miss.
But for the second time in three years, Tulane went through a coaching change. Jon Sumrall is now at Florida, and former Southern Miss head coach and Green Wave assistant Will Hall is at the helm.
Will Tulane continue to be a G6 powerhouse?
Tulane Season Preview
In this new era for Tulane, the Green Wave will have a new quarterback behind center. And they’ll need to figure out who that is in fall camp.
Who Will Be Tulane’s Starting Quarterback?
Kadin Semonza and Zeon Chriss-Gremillion appear to be the frontrunners in Tulane’s quarterback battle.
Semonza transferred to Tulane from Ball State before last season. In 2024, he threw for 2,904 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Chriss-Gremillion arrived at Tulane this offseason after two seasons at Houston. He threw for 932 yards, five touchdowns and nine picks while rushing for 467 yards and four touchdowns during those two years. He spent the two seasons before that at Louisiana. He threw for 1,222 yards, 11 touchdowns and five INTs while rushing for 492 yards and six TDs in 2023 before going to Houston.
The Green Wave’s Strong Rushing Attack
Whoever plays at quarterback should have a strong rushing attack to lean on considering the number of talented running backs Tulane has returning.
Jamauri McClure is back after ranking second on the team with 540 rushing yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry, but he’s currently sidelined with a fractured foot. Maurice Turner, another running back with experience at Tulane, returns as well.
Jaylin Lucas should also make an impact after transferring from Florida State. He was a first-team All-American returner previously while at Indiana. In his career, he’s totaled 1,420 yards and three touchdowns on 55 kick returns and has rushed for 719 yards and four touchdowns while catching 64 passes for 456 yards and two TDs.
Elsewhere on Tulane’s offense, Anthony Brown-Stephens returns after ranking second on the team with 41 receptions and 523 yards through the air to go with two touchdowns in 2025.
Reese Baker is one of Tulane’s few returners on the offensive line but should help give the Green Wave some stability.
Jack Tchienchou To Lead Tulane’s Defense
The Green Wave also have plenty of players returning on defense.
Jack Tchienchou has already played at a high level for the Green Wave. A G5 All-American last year, the defensive back led the Green Wave with 83 tackles while adding 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions, three pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
E’zaiah Shine’s presence should also help the secondary. The cornerback tallied 41 tackles, two TFLs, seven pass breakups and a fumble recovery in 2025.
The Green Wave also should have a strong linebacking corps. Chris Rodgers, who tallied 80 tackles, seven TFLs, 2.5 sacks, a pick and a forced fumble, is back. Dickson Agu, who recorded 36 tackles, two TFLs, a pass breakup and a forced fumble before having his season cut short due to injury, is also returning.
Up front, Ed Smith IV transferred to Tulane from South Alabama after racking up 33 tackles and 3.5 TFLs in 2025. Derrick Shepard Jr. returns for the Green Wave, as he tallied six tackles last season but is expected to make a step forward in 2026.
Tulane’s 2026 Schedule
- 9/5 @ Duke
- 9/12 vs. South Alabama
- 9/19 @ Kansas State
- 9/26 vs. Southern Miss
- 10/10 @ Army
- 10/16 vs. Memphis
- 10/24 vs. UTSA
- 10/30 @ Charlotte
- 11/7 vs. Tulsa
- 11/14 @ Rice
- 11/21 vs. North Texas
- 11/27 or 28 @ USF
Bold indicates American contests
Tulane’s American Conference Title Betting Odds
Tulane’s college football betting odds to win the conference are +600, via BetMGM. The Green Wave are fourth in those odds behind only Navy, Memphis and UTSA.
Tulane’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
- Tulane’s win total Over/Under is 7.5.
- The Under is at -145
- The Over is at +120
Tulane Season Prediction
I predict Tulane won’t win the American Conference Championship and will go Under 7.5 wins.
Hall wasn’t extremely successful as a head coach at Southern Miss, going 14-30 overall with one bowl-eligible season in four years. Granted, this is a much different situation he’s dealing with at Tulane. The Green Wave have some of the best infrastructure as a football program in the G6.
The problem is, the American is going to be a brutal conference this year, and the Green Wave have two Power Four games in their non-conference schedule.
The Green Wave did win twice against P4 teams last season, including against Duke which they open against this year. But even if I were to predict that Tulane goes 3-1 to start the year – including a revenge game win for Hall over Southern Miss – I’m still not sure if Tulane will get to eight wins.
I think the Green Wave can beat Charlotte, Tulsa, Rice and North Texas at home. But I don’t see Tulane beating Memphis, UTSA, Army or South Florida.
A seven-win season wouldn’t be terrible for Tulane, but it sure would be a disappointment coming off a College Football Playoff appearance in 2025.
