Dec 07, 2025
3 min read
The Tulane Green Wave notched one of its biggest wins in school history, defeating North Texas 34-21 in the Conference USA championship game on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at Yulman Stadium.
Tulane is going to the College Football Playoff.
Let it soak in for a while.
Tulane — not Southern Cal, not Florida, not Nebraska — is one of 12 teams competing for a college football national championship.The venerable institution of higher learning, known more for its law and academic programs than its athletic teams, has earned a spot in college football's most prestigious event.
The Green Wave punched their ticket to the CFP with an impressive 34-21 victory against Texas in the American Championship on Friday night.
The win in front of a raucous crowd of 23,986 at cold, SOGGY Yalman Stadium sent the Greens into the first round of the CFP in two weeks, where they will play the weekend of Dec. 19-20.We'll learn how Talane plays and where he is on Sunday when the CFP announces the pairings.
Until then, the green waves and the Tulane campus will continue to shine in faith of this milestone in the school's history.The shoes may never be closed, and for at least two weeks, the rmfw jacket will continue to fly off campus-related shelves.
Find out what the American League means to Tulane fans ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ijmomHbsr0
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) 6. desember 2025
"Everything, man," Tarawa coach Jon Sumrall told ESPN amid happy fans and good officials in his postgame interview.
“It's surreal,” added safety Jack Tchienchou, who was named the game's most outstanding player after recording an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a game-high nine tackles."We've worked so hard for this. It's the opportunity of a lifetime."
It was one of those magical nights where everything went Tulane's way.All blasts and all blasts of the ball, all replay checks and legal calls.Good competition, gifts, beautiful gifts by a North Texas player inside his own team's 20-yard line.Wolves' pass was found by tight end Chris Rodgers, who returned it 35 yards for another touchdown.And so it was that night.
North Texas scored a shot on the opening drive, then watched the Green Wave Ratl off 31 unanswered points to take control and remove all the play from the competition.
Even Mother Nature showed up with olive and blue.Shortly after Tulane opened up a 17-7 lead in the second quarter, the skies opened up and changed North Texas' offense, which entered the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring and total offense.
Tulane's defense didn't need much help.The Green Wave sacked North Texas standout freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker five times and intercepted him three more times to fuel the offense.Added two bug fixes to the book.
It was Win executed in the style of the Classic Sufrall of the Classic, where the green wave produced both lines of scrimmage and produced defensive plays and special teams special defensive teams.
"Football is still a physical game," said Sumrall, the former linebacker coming through in his booming voice."Hats off to our guys on both sides of the line of scrimmage for being the most physical team."
A strong defensive effort, combined with a balanced and efficient offense with 121 yards rushing by Jamorie McClure, was enough for Greenview to record its fifth straight win and fourth straight by a double-digit margin.
If Tulane's defense can bring its performance to the CFP, the Green Wave will prove to be a handful for anyone.It will take that kind of effort to avoid a setback on the road against a likely top-10 opponent.
However, the most prestigious event of the football team worked part-time for the University of Florida and before the University of Florida, Nebraska and Miami got one of the best stories in college football.
Ratzlaff, who plans to watch the CFP qualifier show in real life, "said it's obvious," he said among teammates at a viewing event on Sunday."Sunday is going to be an amazing day. Obviously, we know that we're going to expect to see this building because we're going to have a big smile around this building because we're going to have a big one."There are opportunities."
Not long ago, it was foolish to think that Tulane had made a big play in sports.But the program of the Green speed is unique to the time over the past half-years, shining with the competition and the victory of power four programs to build confidence and bona fide.
Champions forever!🏆#UptownFootball
— Telane Ball (@GrenWavefb) 6. desember 2025
In fact, Sumrall had hoped for a night like this.In his introductory press conference two years ago, he promised to lead the Green Wave to a conference championship and the College Football Playoff.
"I believed we could build as a team here," Sumrall said."This is a special place. This is the kind of place that great people want to be a part of. I tried to get people to believe in the vision. And we will."
Winning at least two weeks of double duty makes sense for Summerl, who plans to travel to Florida for three days next week to take care of business at UF before returning to New Orleans on Tuesday to begin preparation for CFP in Tulane.
"I love these guys, and I'm so proud of this team," Summerle said during the postgame trophy ceremony."We're going to stick around and get the job done."
For Esti, it will be two weeks more than a lot of work, drinks and flights.He will be happy to endure sleeping and waiting to start his florada upgrade.The biggest game in Teranni's history awaits.
