Tulane will complete an ambitious non-conference schedule with its biggest test of the young season when the Green Wave visit Ole Miss on Saturday in a battle of unbeaten teams. Ole Miss is ranked No. 13 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll, while Tulane was among the teams receiving votes and is No. 1 in the HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25.
This will be the third Power Four team that Tulane has met this season. The others were home games against Northwestern and Duke, which the Green Wave beat 23-3 and 34-27, respectively.
In between was a quality G5 opponent, South Alabama, which Tulane beat 33-31 in Mobile.
This will be the last game before Tulane begins its American Conference schedule.
Ole Miss has won consecutive one-score games against SEC teams, winning 30-23 at Kentucky and then last week earning a home 41-35 win over Arkansas.
Both Tulane and Ole Miss should still be candidates for a College Football Playoff berth despite a loss. The winner will get to add a solid victory to its resume.
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How to Watch Tulane-Ole Miss
The Tulane-Ole Miss game will be at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and will be televised by ESPN.
Tulane-Ole Miss Betting Odds
Ole Miss is a -12.5 college football betting favorite against Tulane, via BetMGM. The Over/Under is 61.5.
Tulane-Ole Miss Records
Tulane (3-0)
Ole Miss (3-0)
Tulane-Ole Miss Coaches
Tulane: Jon Sumrall (12-5 at Tulane; 35-9 overall)
Ole Miss: Lane Kiffin (47-18 at Ole Miss; 108-52 overall)
Tulane-Ole Miss Last Meeting
Sept. 9. 2023, Ole Miss won 37-20 in New Orleans to increase its lead in the series to 45-28.
Tulane-Ole Miss Preview
For Tulane
The Green Wave are coming off last week’s home win over Duke as their current quarterback beat their former signal caller. BYU transfer Jake Retzlaff accounted for 356 yards and four rushing touchdowns in leading the Green Wave to victory. That is the most rushing TDs in a game for a quarterback in school history.
Retzlaff completed 15 of 23 passes for 245 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He also rushed 17 times for 111 yards and four scores. On Monday, he was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah completed 30 of 51 throws for 313 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Of his total, 145 yards came in the final seven and a half minutes of the fourth quarter with Tulane up 18 points.
For the season, Retzlaff has completed 58% of his passes for 522 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He has rushed for a team-high 288 yards and six touchdowns.
True freshman Javin Gordon has rushed for 122 yards while Florida Atlantic transfer Zuberi Mobley has gained 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Yet another Florida Atlantic transfer, Omari Hayes, has 13 receptions for 145 yards, both team highs.
Linebacker Dickson Agu leads the Green Wave with 26 tackles, while safety Jack Tchienchou has 22 tackles.
The Green Wave average 30 points per game while allowing 20.3.
For Ole Miss
The Rebels were able to beat Arkansas with second string quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, a transfer from Ferris State, where he led his team to the Division II national championship last season. Chambliss replaced highly touted sophomore Austin Simmons, who was sidelined for virtually the entire game with an ankle injury.
Simmons appeared briefly against Arkansas, throwing a second quarter 4-yard touchdown pass, his only attempt of the game.
Meanwhile, Chambliss completed 21 of 29 passes against the Razorbacks for 353 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He also ran for 62 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
Kiffin said during his Monday press conference that he expects Simmons to start against Tulane. This season, Simmons has completed 60.7% of his passes for 580 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He has rushed for 69 yards and one score.
“I would anticipate Austin being fine to play and being our starting quarterback,” Kiffin said.
Sophomore running back Kewan Lacy, a transfer from Missouri, has rushed for 290 yards and five touchdowns.
Harrison Wallace III, a senior transfer from Penn State, has 15 receptions for 339 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior linebacker TJ Dottery has a team-high 23 tackles along with two pass breakups.
Senior defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, who has appeared in 41 career games for Ole Miss, has a team-high two sacks.
The Rebels average 44.6 points per game while allowing 21.67.
Tulane-Ole Miss Prediction
I like Tulane to cover the spread. While Retzlaff’s running has been proficient, he is also an accomplished passer and will likely need to throw the ball more against Ole Miss.
One thing that Tulane must cut down on is penalties. The Green Wave are averaging 80.6 penalty yards per game.
Tulane also must close games better. For instance, the Green Wave were outscored 17-6 in the fourth quarter in their 33-31 win over South Alabama. The Jaguars got to within two by scoring with 59 seconds left but missed on the ensuing two-point conversion. Tulane has been outscored 28-9 in the fourth quarter this season.
The key is that Tulane has done well against the pass and will have to in order to be competitive against Ole Miss. Tulane is allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 59% of their passes for an average of 235 yards. Tulane has surrendered five touchdown passes but also has five interceptions.
The Green Wave also can’t sleep on Ole Miss’ running game, but limiting the Rebels’ passing game will be the bigger key.
