Leading by 14 points with 37 seconds left in the first half against Tulsa Aug. 28, the Tulane secondary frantically attempted to communicate instructions to each other before Tulsa snapped the ball.

The Green Wave allowed Tulsa to convert on an 84-yard pass in the midst of the confusion, and Tulane’s lead shrunk to 7 going into the locker room. The Wave’s momentum crashed in 8 seconds, as the defense lost its composure after playing textbook defense for the entirety of the first half.

To demand perfection every snap is impractical, but the lack of poise and clarity in the play-calling in crunch time is concerning. 

Georgia Tech runs a triple option offense, consisting of lateral passes and misdirection plays, and for Tulane to have success Saturday, the defense must be on the same page. If not, Georgia Tech will capitalize on its play action passes and tricky rushing plays all day long.

The Green Wave faltered offensively down the stretch as well. With less than 2 minutes to play in the game, redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Lee led the offense downfield, and set up freshman kicker Andrew DiRocco for a 21-yard go-ahead field goal.

DiRocco, however, did not perform as planned. Nerves are natural, but Tulane cannot afford to miss easy opportunities against a tougher opponent in Georgia Tech.

The Wave has not played a team that runs as intricate of an offense as Georgia Tech’s, and clarity and attention to detail will be crucial to a victory this weekend. 

Prediction: If Tulane can maintain its composure and play mistake-free, consistent football, the Wave will come out victorious: 31-27.