The Memphis Tigers took down the South Florida Bulls over the weekend to even the playing field in the American Conference. How much have Tulane's chances to make the College Football Playoff improved as a result?
The Tulane Green Wave didn't play a down of football over the weekend, but the team's chance to make the College Football Playoff has gone up quite a bit.
The key to this? A big win by the Memphis Tigers over the South Florida Bulls on Saturday. The Green Wave and Tigers have grown into bitter rivals... but Tulane might be sending them a thank you card come December.
South Florida entered Saturday's game with a lot on the line. As the highest-ranked team among Group of Five schools, the Bulls could've added yet another signature win to the resume by taking down a Memphis squad that is also on the hunt for a CFP berth.
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead that they eventually let slip away, and they trailed 31-17 heading into the fourth quarter. That's where one of the biggest comeback games of the weekend -- no, the season -- happened. Memphis rallied to outscore the Bulls 17-0 in the final frame, and held on late for the 34-31 win. It was USF's second loss of the year.
So, how does the Green Wave fit into this?
With South Florida's loss, Tulane and Navy are now the only two teams that are undefeated in American Conference play. Let's be honest: the Midshipmen have played a very weak schedule and have some tough opponents coming up, so they might not be a factor much longer.
The Green Wave don't have to take on the Bulls during the regular season this year, which works in their favor. However, the rivalry with the Tigers will be renewed on the road on Nov. 7. That's going to be one of the toughest games that the team has played all year, especially if Memphis plays as well as it has throughout most of the season. At this point, it's looking like the contest will be a toss-up.
Otherwise, Tulane should be favored in its other remaining matchups against the UTSA Roadrunners, Florida Atlantic Owls, Temple Owls and Charlotte 49ers.
Here's the deal: win against the Tigers and take care of business in every other matchup, and the Green Wave are sitting at 11-1 on the year with an undefeated conference record and a trip to the American Conference Championship to look forward to. Not just that, but they now have a lane to hosting it.
Lose against Memphis, but win each of the other four matchups, and a 10-2 record could still be enough to get into the championship game, depending on how well some of the other contenders perform. With USF being knocked down a few pegs over the weekend, the Green Wave could have a realistic chance at getting the nod if a tiebreaker is needed.
Regardless of how Tulane gets into the American Conference Championship, if they make it that far, the program will definitely need to win to have a solid chance at the College Football Playoff. The competition between the top G5 schools is fierce this season; an 11-2 record with a championship game loss might not be enough to get a playoff spot.
The chances of a magical postseason are looking better for the Green Wave with each passing week. Could this be the team that fights for a national title come January?