How Does Tulane Pick up Pieces After Beatdown by Tulsa?

The question now for the Tulane Green Wave is whether or not they can turn the page and try to make something out of this season after what happened on Homecoming.

Conference title dreams, barring absolute chaos, are dead, and with three games on the year left, the Green Wave have to pick themselves up and try to fight for bowl eligibility left at this point.

They still need two more wins on the year to do that.

Back in 2022, Tulane was bowl eligible by Week 7, dropping only one game to that point in ironic fashion to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles coached by now-Green Wave head coach Will Hall.

It was the same deal in 2023 in Willie Fritz’s final year. In 2024 under Jon Sumrall, it took a little longer until Week 8, as they dropped both Power Four matchups in non-conference play, but they ran the table quite easily once they got into American Conference play.

There was no difference in 2025. Bowl eligibility was secured by Week 7 with one non-con loss to the Ole Miss Rebels.

The Green Wave entered league play at 2-2 this year with unconvincing wins over the South Alabama Jaguars and Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

They then lost their first game in conference play, on the road, to the Army Black Knights.

Plenty could be explained away up to that point with the two Power Four losses coming on the road, and league play opening the road was equally tough.

Then things felt way more promising with not just a win over the Memphis Tigers, but a completely dominant one that went their way all evening.

Things went back down to earth when they lost handily the following weekend to the UTSA Roadrunners in a 42-19 home defeat.

The overtime win against the Charlotte 49ers was certainly shaky and probably was a warning sign for what transpired on Saturday.

But there were a ton of injuries, it was a short week, back on the road again, and against a 49ers team that was rejuvenated and punching above their weight class a bit.

Any of the momentum and energy that this team managed to harness just six days ago is a distant memory.

That doesn’t change the fact that this season isn’t over. No matter how demoralized the team feels, they certainly have to pick themselves up and keep it rolling.

Perhaps going on the road will be the best medicine for this team, as Yulman Stadium didn’t seem to help things much.

The fans and outside noise will not quiet from this point until the year is over. For a bunch of 20-year-old guys with their dreams on the line, that’s easier said than done to ignore.

It’ll up to them and that locker room to find a way through that.