The Tulane Green Wave will need a strong performance from their defensive line against Ole Miss. Defensive lineman Santana Hopper is ascending at the right time as he was recently named Third Team All-American by PFSN.
The Tulane Green Wave are preparing for a rematch in the College Football Playoff against the Ole Miss Rebels, and they’ll need stout play on both sides of the trenches to pull off the upset. They’ve recorded 34 sacks this season while only conceding 10. Of those 34 sacks by the Green Wave defense, 19 have come in the last five-game stretch starting in Memphis. Five of them were in the American Conference Championship game against North Texas.
Defensive lineman Santana Hopper recorded two of those sacks alongside two of his 9.5 tackles for loss. Hopper was named a Third Team All-American by Pro Football & Sports Network on Wednesday for his efforts in his first season at Tulane. He has started in 12 contests and played in all 13, and has 30 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery. His TFLs are second highest on the team. His sacks are good for third highest.
It's an important unit to have stars emerge out of at this stage in the season, ahead of the first-ever playoff appearance for the program. The dominant pass rush in the conference championship made North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker uncomfortable all evening. The Green Wave managed to get to Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss once with one sack in the 45-10 Week 4 loss. They had half a game of film to watch prior to that.
Tulane had to replace a lot of production on the defensive line ahead of this season, and Hopper was an incoming transfer from Appalachian State expected to make a splash. Hopper had 36 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2024 for the Mountaineers. If there was ever a welcome time for Hopper to hit his stride, it’s in this final stretch ahead of taking on the Rebels.
The Green Wave’s front seven can be the difference-maker in this contest if they’re able to disrupt Chambliss in the pocket and shut down star Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy. Lacy had 18 carries for 68 yards and two rushing touchdowns against Tulane in September. Lacy ran for 224 yards against Florida and 143 yards against Mississippi State in his last two regular season games. Explosive plays will quickly end the game in the Rebels’ favor. Strong tackling and tackles for loss will be crucial, and the team will need another strong outing from Hopper and each member of that defensive line.