It was another successful Saturday for the Tulane Green Wave, as the team rolled to a 37-13 road victory over the Temple Owls to improve to 9-2 on the year, and 6-1 in American Conference play.

Things couldn't have worked out any better for Tulane as it heads into the final game of the regular season against the Charlotte 49ers. If the Green Wave manages to secure the victory, then it will host the American Conference Championship Game with College Football Playoff implications on the line. This all seemed nearly impossible just a few weeks ago, but with Tulane finding ways to pick up those key wins -- and other contenders not living up to their hype -- the Green Wave is in the driver's seat in the conference. 

The team's latest win on a chilly afternoon in Philadelphia is a shining example of just how far the team has come, and just how much still needs to be improved. Here are three takeaways from Tulane's win over Temple.

1. Jake Retzlaff doesn't have to carry the team on the ground. 

Retzlaff is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation, and although he started the year as the team's main rusher, he's since slowed down a bit. 

Maybe that's because head coach Jon Sumrall wants to focus a bit more on his passing abilities... but there could be more to it than that. 

The emergence of freshman running backs Javin Gordon and Jamauri McClure seemed unlikely at the beginning of the season, but both have since become integral parts of the Green Wave's rushing attack. Gordon started breaking out midseason, and McClure has seen a sharp increase in touches in the last few games. They're both fast, physical and unafraid, while still being unique in their own ways.  

This doesn't mean that Retzlaff isn't a valuable asset on the ground -- the transfer signal-caller added one rushing score against the Owls -- but he doesn't have as much pressure on himself to be the go-to guy. That, in turn, takes a bit of weight off his shoulders and gives him more freedom to help his team by making plays through the air. 

2. Tulane still needs to put an emphasis on the little things.

For everything that went right for the Green Wave against Temple, there were still a few areas of concern.

First off, the team notched eight penalties for 83 yards on the afternoon -- something that has been a major problem for them more often than not. Those fouls might not have had much of an impact in a game that got out of hand by halftime, but that wouldn't be the case in a closer contest. Discipline has been a focus for Tulane all season, but there's still some work to be done.

Additionally, the offense only went 3-for-12 on third down conversions. That's an abysmal 25 percent and another statistic that isn't going to cut it against higher-level programs. The team won't be perfect by any means, but that's essentially nine drives stalled by falling short on third down. No individual student-athlete is responsible for this problem; the offense as a whole will have to find away to work together to improve.

3. Simply put, this team doesn't back down. 

The Green Wave has made countless clutch plays throughout the season: from last-minute touchdowns, to big defensive stops. 

However, it's the way that the team has battled back from adversity that makes it so impressive. From being looked upon with doubt and dropped from postseason conversation following a blowout loss to the UTSA Roadrunners in the middle of the season, to suddenly having control of its own destiny in the American Conference, it's been a whirlwind few weeks.

No road games are easy, especially those that have a dramatically different environment. Tulane entered a tough atmosphere in Temple, and didn't have any problem securing the win.

Don't expect the Green Wave to shy away from the challenge anytime soon, either. There's some unfinished business that this program has as it looks to make history.