The Green Wave desperately needs to pick up a solid win after a rough start to the season.
Though we are just three games into the 2026 college football season, there's already some growing unrest about the current state of the Tulane Green Wave program.
Less than one year ago, Tulane walked off the field with a massive win over the North Texas Mean Green in the American Conference Championship and ultimately made history with its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. Things have changed drastically since then, with former head coach Jon Sumrall leaving the team for the Florida Gators and Will Hall being promoted to the position in the aftermath.
Things have been rocky for the Green Wave to start the Hall era. The team is 1-2 in its first three games of the year, with that lone victory coming in come-from-behind fashion over the South Alabama Jaguars. Otherwise, Tulane has dropped a pair of games to the Duke Blue Devils and the Kansas State Wildcats, failing to pick up a potentially resume-defining win.
It's hard to even think about the postseason or CFP, because all of that seems so unattainable at this point. Stranger things have happened -- the Green Wave could go on an absolute tear and win its remaining nine games -- but things aren't looking good right now simply based on how the team has performed so far.
That's why the program's upcoming matchup against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles is so important. For one, it's a chance for Hall to face off against his former team and prove that he is a much better coach than he might have seemed to be while in Hattiesburg. It's also important for the Olive Green and Sky Blue to regain some of its lost momentum as it prepares for a tough slate of American Conference play ahead.
However, this can't just be a game where grinding out a victory is all that matters -- no matter if it comes in the form of a last-second field goal or a blowout from the start. Tulane must show that it can grow from previous mistakes and find ways to capitalize on the things it does well. If the offensive line gives up six more sacks and the defense can't find a way to stop the run, then will anyone actually feel good about a win?
Some believe that a win is a win, regardless of how it happens. For this team's sake, that can't be the mantra this weekend. The effort and style of play must be just as important as the final score.
If this weekend's game goes off the rails, will people stop buying into a program that has spent years fighting for a spot at the table? Can something that took seasons upon seasons to build fall apart in the blink of an eye?
The Green Wave can't afford to be outplayed this weekend. If things go south, then there's no telling what level of trust and support will be given to Hall moving forward, and the program could be bumped to the bottom of the totem pole in the blink of an eye. A good win, on the other hand, could be exactly what the team needs to regain some of the spark it appears to have lost.
