By Garin Turner
#11 Tulane (11–2) enters the College Football Playoff as a long-shot, an outsider with something to prove. Standing in the way is #6 Ole Miss (11–1), a team stacked with firepower and the confidence of a program that’s already handled Tulane once this season. They meet again on December 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET on TNT, HBO Max, and truTV — this time with postseason survival on the line.
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How They Got Here
The Green Wave have become the lightning rod of this year’s playoff debate. Critics argue Tulane — and fellow Group of Five entrant James Madison — were given spots that could have gone to Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Texas, or other high-profile brands. But Tulane’s résumé earned its place.
Tulane opened the season with wins over Northwestern, South Alabama, and Duke before running into Ole Miss in Week 4 — a humbling 45–10 defeat. The Green Wave responded with a three-game win streak over Tulsa, East Carolina, and Army before stumbling against UTSA. From there, Tulane caught fire, closing the year with five straight victories and securing the American Athletic Conference Championship with a convincing 34–21 win over then-#24 North Texas.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, arrives with only one blemish — a narrow 43–35 loss to eventual CFP member Georgia. The Rebels’ résumé includes wins over Tulane (45–10), then-#4 LSU (24–19), and then-#13 Oklahoma (34–26), another playoff entrant. Their lone loss kept the Rebels out of the SEC Championship Game, but their body of work was strong enough to secure the No. 6 seed.
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Their First Meeting: Ole Miss 45, Tulane 10
The first matchup between these teams was one-sided. Ole Miss controlled the game from start to finish, holding Tulane to just 103 passing yards and leading 23–3 at halftime. The Rebels sealed things with a dominant 22-point fourth quarter.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was exceptional, going 17-of-27 for 307 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing with 112 yards. Running back Kewan Lacy added 68 yards and two scores on the ground.
Tulane’s only bright spot was its running game — the Green Wave totaled 178 rushing yards — but nothing else clicked offensively.
The rematch demands answers Tulane didn’t have in September.
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Team Leaders
Tulane Green Wave
Passing: Jake Retzlaff — 2,862 yards, 14 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: Jake Retzlaff — 118 carries, 610 yards, 16 TD
Receiving: Shazz Preston — 38 receptions, 598 yards, 4 TD
Tackles: Jack Tchienchou — 77
Sacks: Harvey Dyson — 7
Interceptions: Jahiem Johnson — 4
Ole Miss Rebels
Passing: Trinidad Chambliss — 3,016 yards, 18 TD, 3 INT; 470 rushing yards, 6 TD
Rushing: Kewan Lacy — 1,279 yards, 20 TD
Receiving: Harrison Wallace III — 46 receptions, 719 yards, 3 TD
Tackles: TJ Dottery — 77
Sacks: Princewill Umanmielen — 6.5
Interceptions: Wydett Williams Jr. — 3
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Prediction
Tulane strikes first, but Ole Miss imposes its will as the game progresses. The Rebels’ depth, speed, and efficiency overwhelm the Green Wave once again.
Ole Miss 48, Tulane 13.
