On SI Tulane Picks Green Wave-Memphis Matchup

Tulane 2026 Football Schedule

Opponent	Time/Date	Result	Score	Record
at Duke	2:30PM, 9/5	L	17-3	0-1
Sou Alabama	6PM, 9/12	W	28-24	1-1
@ K-State	11AM, 9/19	L	31-20	1-2
Sou Miss	6PM, 9/26	W	24-21	2-2
OPEN	10/3	--	--	--
@ Army	11AM, 10/10	L	20-17	2-3
Memphis	6:30PM, 10/16
UTSA	TBD, 10/24
@ Charlotte	6PM, 10/30
Tulsa	TBD, 11/7
@ Rice	TBD, 11/14
Nor Texas	TBD, 11/21
@ Sou Fla	TBD, 11/27

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Tulane will gear up to face what will probably be their toughest conference opponent this year on Friday night, Memphis. The Tigers hold a ton of adversity for the Wave, including one of the top offenses in the country. Kickoff in Yulman Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Colin Cummings' Pick

If you asked me before the year that Tulane would head in to a must-win Memphis game at 2-3, I wouldn’t have called you crazy, but I would’ve said, “Well let’s wait and see.”

Well, here we are. The Tulane Green Wave are sitting at 2-3, with their only two wins coming against some lackluster Sunbelt opponents in South Alabama and Southern Miss.

However, it’s always a ‘next play’ mentality with the Green Wave, so despite any shortcomings, it’s time to focus on the challenge ahead, Memphis.

New Memphis head coach Charles Huff was highly sought after this past coaching carousel, and the Tigers would be the ones to lay their paws on him in the end. So far, it’s worked out well for them. They’re 4-1 with their only loss coming to another top G6 contender, Boise State.

What Huff has brought to the table in just his first few weeks is impressive as well. Memphis holds the 7th ranked offense in the country in terms of yards per game, coming out to just over 500 yards a game, and they’re not far behind in scoring, as they rank 23rd with 38.5 points a game.

Leading this offense is undoubtedly the quarterback, Marcus Stokes. Stokes is a high-flying machine, churning out over 1500 yards already on a 70% completion percentage, backed up with a TD-INT ratio of 16 to 3.

Stokes will be a nightmare for this Wave defense to defend, and he’ll be backed by sophomore running back, Jaylin Carter. Carter is averaging over 7 yards a carry right now with 8 touchdowns under his belt as well. He’ll be a danger on any running down, and he has some serious explosive scoring potential.

All in all, the Wave defense will need to tighten up tomorrow night against a very good Tiger offense, and on the other side of that, the Wave offense will need to get going.

So far this year, the Wave has yet to see offensive consistency. We’ve seen games like Kansas State, where this team can very easily drive down the field like it’s nothing when everything is working together.

But, the dropped passes, the missed throws, the penalties, and more, have added up to this very inconsistent Wave offense that’s still looking for its rhythm.

The reason I focus more on the TU offense than the Memphis defense is because I have confidence that, when everything is working, this offense is good enough to hang in any shootout with any team.

What’s keeping Tulane from that status right now is discipline and consistency, and unfortunately, until I see the Wave get some of that, I just don’t see them beating one of the best teams in the conference.

Another thing keeping them from what they want is a lack of identity. Three quarterbacks have taken the mantle already, and Head Coach Will Hall maintains that it’s still an open competition. This lack of direction can and has hindered this offense and its growth.

Freshman Trace Johnson could get the start, but it’s hard to believe that TU has moved on from Kadin Semonza. Only time will tell.

Of course, it’s a rivalry game in Yulman on a Friday night, so something in my gut is telling me that this game will at least be close and keep folks on the edge of their seats. I see Tulane losing a nail-biter.

Memphis - 30 Tulane - 27

Doug Joubert’s Pick

Here we are, game six of the season, and this Tulane team has not really secured itself an identity.

Here's how your offense gets an identity. Since no one is THE quarterback of this offense, we believe it's time to do a Michael Pratt: give the reins to Trace Johnson. Hand the ball to the frosh and ride it to the end of the season.

Flashback time: when former Tulane coach Willie Fritz FINALLY gave in and handed the quarterback position to Pratt against Southern Miss in 2020, Pratt was a true freshman. From Florida.

Trace Johnson is a true freshman. From Florida.

That can't be coincidental.

Defensively, the identity needs to be one word: attack.

Get after the ball and ball carrier and don't stop until the final whistle blows. Attack the line of scrimmage as if your life depended on it. Attack the ball as if you want it more than anything ever. Attack the ball carrier and make him pay for every wanting to possess the thing. Attack the receiver as if he has stolen your most valuable possession.

Remember those first four possessions against Southern Miss? The Tulane defense hit so hard I really wondered if their quarterback, running backs, and receivers would get up.

I haven't seen consistent identities from the Green Wave in this 2026 season. If that stays true, and the Wave is playing what is, at this time, the best team in the American, then I have a hard time thinking things will be pretty on Friday night.

Memphis - 38 Tulane - 17

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