The Green Wave found its way back into the college football rankings after weeks of sitting among the top of “others receiving votes,” according to the most recent AP Top 25 poll. While at the end of the list at No. 25, the ranking was a huge milestone for Tulane’s resurging football program, as it marks their third straight season being ranked in the polls, which hasn’t happened since 1936-1939. This accomplishment reflects the general changing perception of Tulane University football in recent years, as students, parents and alumni have paid increasingly more attention to the football team, recognizing them as “legit.”  

 In 2014, Tulane football was in a very different place than it is now. Curtis Johnson was head coach, going into his third season and what would be his second to last, as Willie Fritz would be hired in 2016. At the time, current head coach Jon Sumrall served as the team’s co-defensive coordinator.  

 2014 was also Tulane’s first year playing at Yulman Stadium, and its first time playing on campus since 1974. The stadium opened its doors for the first time on Sept. 6 of that year, when the Green Wave went up against Georgia Institute of Technology.  

 In 2022, Tulane had its most accomplished season yet, winning the American Athletic Conference on its home field, clinching a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl. They then went on to upset the University of Southern California Trojans and Heisman winner Caleb Williams. Since then, Tulane has been in the running to win the American the last few years, coming just short of a New Year’s Six spot last season and currently in the running for the last spot in the reformatted College Football Playoff.  

To put Tulane’s turnaround in context, The Hullabaloo looked at several key stats from the past decade.  

Increasing points per game  

The numbers reflect this shift in performance from the team. In 2014, Tulane averaged only 16 points per game, while their opponents averaged just above 28. The offense started to take a turn in 2019, a few years into Fritz’s tenure. That year, the Green Wave averaged a little over 33 points per game, with their opponents averaging around 26. In 2022, the Cotton Bowl-winning season, Tulane averaged 36 points per game compared to their opponent’s 22, the largest differential so far outside of midway through this 2024 season.  

 This can also be viewed through the comparison of total offensive touchdowns, which also peaked in the 2022 Cotton Bowl-winning season. This chart also shows that just midway through the current 2024 season, Tulane already has more or just as many offensive touchdowns as they put up in full seasons up until 2018. The gradual decline of opponent’s touchdowns also stands out, as this can mainly be credited to the defensive emphasis of both Fritz and Sumrall, as well as the talent they have been able to recruit in recent years.   

More efficient offense, thanks to Pratt, Mensah 

 A huge part of putting up points is running an efficient offense. And this both starts and ends with the quarterback position. Training a quarterback to put up efficient numbers is largely reliant on coaching. Winning in the previous years contributes to it, too, as college football is an ongoing cycle where the more you win, the better talent you can recruit — or nowadays, acquire through the transfer portal.  

 One of the stats that exemplifies this is the pass completion percentage numbers over the years. The last three years in particular stand out, with Tulane putting up their best quarterback play pretty much ever, as both Michael Pratt and Darian Mensah have thrown over the .6 threshold. The average passing yards per attempt also showcases the special quarterback play of Pratt and Mensah, as in the last three years, the average pass has gone for around 1.7 yards more than the year prior in 2021. Football is known as a game of inches, and improving, while marginally, can make a huge difference for a football team.  

Today is a new age in college football, marked by name, image and likeness deals and the transfer portal, with players constantly on the move for new teams every year. Keeping up with and building on these numbers will help Tulane on and off the field, making them a more attractive destination for recruits and transfers. With Sumrall as captain of the ship and a return to the AP Top 25 poll this week, it seems like Tulane is poised to make Uptown New Orleans a key player in the years to come.