This week’s contest between Tulane and Navy has a chance to determine the participants in the AAC title game.
There are eight conference games for each AAC team. Army is 7-0, Tulane is 6-0, and Navy is 5-1 in league play.
If Tulane wins, then the Green Wave would earn a championship game appearance against Army. A win over Navy would clinch both Tulane and Army a spot.
If Navy wins, then there would be two teams with one conference loss. Army’s final AAC game is Nov. 30 at home against UTSA. Navy concludes its AAC schedule Nov. 30 at East Carolina while Tulane hosts Memphis on Nov. 28.
With one team having the chance to clinch a title game berth and the other needing a win to stay in the race, the stakes are extremely high for this matchup.
Tulane-Navy How To Watch
Tulane plays at Navy at noon ET Saturday on ESPN2.
Records: Tulane (8-2, 6-0 AAC); Navy (7-2, 5-1)
Tulane-Navy Betting Odds
Tulane is a seven-point college football betting odds favorite. The Over/Under is 52.5 total points.
Tulane-Navy Coaches
Tulane: Jon Sumrall (8-2 at Tulane; 31-6 overall)
Navy: Brian Newberry (12-9)
Last meeting: Sept. 19, 2020; Navy won 27-24 in New Orleans
Navy’s Bijan Nichols kicked a game-winning 33-yard field goal as time expired. That completed a wild comeback after Navy had trailed 24-0 at halftime.
Why The Tulane-Navy Game Is Important
As outlined above, this can determine the participants in the AAC title game if Tulane wins. If Navy wins, the Midshipmen would remain very much alive in the conference championship race.
Tulane-Navy Preview
For Tulane
The Green Wave won their seventh game in a row during last week’s 52-6 home victory over Temple. It was Tulane’s 16th consecutive AAC regular season win. That is one win shy of the conference record of 17 shared by UCF and Cincinnati, which are now both in the Big 12. Makhi Hughes rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Temple.
Tulane’s two losses were at home against Kansas State, 34-27, and at Oklahoma, 34-19.
Hughes has rushed for 1,209 yards and 13 touchdowns. Darian Mensah has completed 65.5% of his passes for 2,059 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Mario Williams, a transfer from USC, has 38 receptions for 655 yards and three touchdowns.
Linebacker Tyler Grubbs is Tulane’s defensive leader with 40 tackles, including six tackles for loss and three sacks.
Tulane leads the AAC in scoring, averaging 41 points per game, and is second in scoring defense, allowing 18.7 PPG.
For Navy
After suffering consecutive losses – 51-14 to Notre Dame and 24-10 at Rice – Navy bounced back with last week’s 28-7 win at South Florida. Navy held USF to just 60 rushing yards on 25 carries. Linebacker Kyle Jacob had six tackles and one interception.
Quarterback Blake Horvath has rushed for 870 yards and 13 touchdowns. Alex Tecza has rushed for 436 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Midshipmen are second in the AAC and fifth nationally in rushing, averaging 259.1 yards per game.
Navy has thrown a little more than usual. Horvath has completed 69 of 117 passes for 1,154 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Eli Heidenreich has 30 receptions for 556 yards and five touchdowns.
Linebacker Colin Ramos leads the AAC with 95 tackles. Navy is third in the AAC in both scoring offense (35.7 PPG) and scoring defense (22.2 PPG).
Tulane-Navy Prediction
I like Tulane laying the points. The key will obviously be stopping the Navy ground game. Tulane is third in the AAC in rushing defense, allowing 114.6 yards per game. In addition, Tulane should be able to run the ball. As much praise as there is for Navy’s ground game, Tulane is third in the AAC in rushing, averaging 227.8 yards per contest.
This seems to be a game that may rely on which team’s quarterback makes the bigger plays. Both Horvath and Mensah are capable of making explosive plays in the passing game. Meanwhile, Williams can be a matchup nightmare for the Navy secondary.
Tulane has been in a lot of big games over the last few years. The Green Wave won the AAC title in 2022 and lost to SMU in last year’s title game. This is going to have a championship game feel considering what is at stake, and Tulane’s big-game experience should give the Green Wave an advantage.
