ACC Deal Gives Tulane Green Wave Time to Plan for Shot at Power Conference

The Tulane Green Wave needs time to make a play for a power conference and the ACC’s recent agreement gives them that time.

Teal Tulane Green Wave Helmet | Tulane Athletics

Trying to read the tea leaves of college conference realignment is at times a fool’s errand. For a program like the Tulane Green Wave, stability can be opportunity.

On Tuesday, the ACC, the Florida State Seminoles and the Clemson Tigers settled their differences in court, resolves the conference’s new revenue-sharing structure and resolved the all-important buy-out to get out of the conference.

The takeaway is that it’s unlikely the power conferences will make major membership moves before 2030. This is for two reasons. First, by that point, the ACC buyout will be about $75 million. Second, the other three power leagues’ television contracts are all up for renewal right around that time.

That would be the perfect time for one last, significant reshuffle. It should also be the target date for Tulane to position itself to find a way to get invited to the party. Because to be clear, if 2030 (or so) comes and we do see that final reshuffle, the power conference door will shut for everyone not on the right side. And it will shut for good.

This gives the Green Wave five years to prepare if it wants to be a part of college football on the highest level.

Facilities are key, and Tulane appears to be finally working toward that. The new all-purpose practice bubble on campus is a significant step forward. But it won’t be enough. Yulman Stadium will probably need an add-on at some point. That will require capital investment. That’s five years to get that ready.

Tulane has upped its name, image and likeness game. It’s not where it needs to be to compete with the power leagues. But, with revenue sharing coming, the interesting twist is that some power conference teams are bringing NIL in-house.

That would allow a school like Tulane to manage the process and, hopefully, create more opportunity. It must be paired with revenue sharing, and whether Tulane intends to share is still an open question. June 15 is now the deadline to fully commit.

But, more than anything, what the Green Wave must do is win. Not that Tulane hasn’t been doing that the past few years. In the last three seasons the Green Wave are 32-10 with a conference championship, two other conference title game appearances and a Cotton Bowl victory over the USC Trojans.

What Willie Fritz built Jon Sumrall can take to the next level — namely, a College Football Playoff berth. It’s the kind of success that power conference suitors demand for inclusion.

Tulane shouldn’t settle for Pac-12 scraps. The return on investment isn’t worth it. The ACC is more geographically desirable, but the Green Wave don’t want to join a shell of the former league, either.

Tuesday’s deal keeps the ACC together for a while. It gives college football stability. It gives Tulane time to shoot for a power conference invite, one it should plan and shoot for.

The worst that can happen is the Green Wave falls short, right?