Previewing Game Three: Tulane

2021 record: 2-10 (1-7)
AAC Standings: Ninth (Tie)
Best wins: FCS Morgan State (2-9) and USF (2-10, FEI/SP+ No. 109)
Notable losses: They lost by five to Memphis (6-6), to Tulsa (7-6) in overtime and by four to UCF (9-4).
Head Coach: Willie Fritz. He enters his seventh season and he took Tulane to three straight bowl games between 2018 and 2020. Fritz inherited a Tulane program that had three winning seasons in the previous 17 years before he was hired.

The Green Wave finished No. 89 in the FEI/SP+ last year and ranked No. 74 on offense, No. 98 on defense and No. 113 on special teams.

Their offense only ranked in the top 70 in two categories nationally and that was No. 49 in points per drive inside the opponents 40 (4.10) and No. 60 in rushing offense (164.8 yards per game).

In per games stats, they ranked in the 70s in most categories, finishing No. 73 in total offense (386.5 yards per game), No. 74 in passing offense (221.8 yards per game), No. 89 in passing efficiency, No. 74 in scoring offense (27.6 points per game) and No. 79 in points per drive (2.00).

Tulane ranked outside the top 100 in offensive success rate (38.6 percent) and havoc rate allowed (20.9 percent).

Defensively, they were outside the top 100 in all but one major per game statistic.

They were No. 102 in total defense (429.7 yards per game), No. 78 in rush defense (158.4 yards per game), No. 120 in pass defense (271.2 yards per game), No. 115 in passing efficiency allowed, No. 114 in scoring defense (34.0 points per game) and No. 113 in points per drive allowed (3.00).

The Green Wave were a bit better in defensive success rate stats.

They ranked No. 64 in overall defensive success rate (42.3 percent), No. 35 in rush defense success rate (40.5 percent), No. 68 in defensive havoc rate (17.1 percent) and No. 93 in defensive pass success rate (44.2 percent).

On offense, Tulane finished No. 93 in third down conversions (36.1 percent) and No. 124 in red zone conversions (71.7 percent). The defense wasn’t much better, finishing No. 79 at third down conversions allowed (40.0 percent) and No. 112 at red zone conversions allowed (90.2 percent).

Tulane’s punt coverage was top 20 last year, the kickoff coverage was top 40 and their punt return unit was No. 65. Every other special teams unit ranked outside of the top 100.

Tulane is picked to finished seventh or eighth (out of 11) in most AAC previews.

Fritz is coming off his worst season at Tulane, but they do have some key returners. Nine of their 11 starters are back on offense, including four offensive linemen, the quarterback, their top four rushers and eight of their top nine receivers.

A pair of offensive skill players made it on to preseason All-AAC lists.

Defensively, they return the top four tacklers and six of the top eight. Five defenders earned some accolades on preseason All-AAC lists. They also return a kicker who made preseason lists and an experienced kickoff and punt return specialist.

OFFENSE

1. RB Tyjae Spears (5-10/195): Preseason All-AAC. Spears led the team with 863 yards rushing and nine touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He also caught 19 passes for 145 yards.

2. QB Michael Pratt (6-2/210): Pratt threw the ball for 2,381 yards and completed 57.6 percent of his throws for 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He had a passer rating of 134.9, averaged 7.3 yards per attempt and also ran for 154 yards and five touchdowns.

3. TE Tyrick James (6-2/245): Preseason All-AAC. James led the Green Wave in receiving yards with 429 and touchdowns with four, while catching 31 passes.

4. WR Jha'quan Jackson (5-9/180): Preseason All-AAC. Jackson led Tulane with 17.3 yards per catch with 294 total yards and 17 catches.

5. WR Deuce Watts (6-2/195): Watts caught 21 balls for 331 yards and three touchdowns.

6. RB Cameron Carroll (6-0/225): Carroll averaged 9.2 yards per carry and gained 516 yards with three scores. The big back also caught 17 passes for 198 yards and another three touchdowns.

7. OL Sincere Haynesworth (6-1/305): Preseason All-AAC. Haynesworth earned Honorable Mention All-AAC in 2021. He leads an experienced offensive line that returns four starters.

DEFENSE

1. S Macon Clark (6-0/190): Preseason All-AAC. He was also an honorable mention pick in 2021. Clark led Tulane in tackles with 73 and interceptions with four. He also finished with five tackles for loss.

2. LB Dorian Williams (6-2/225): Preseason All-AAC. Just like Clark, he was an honorable mention pick in 2021. Williams was second in tackles, broke up three passes and finished with three tackles for loss.

3. DE Darius Hodges (6-1/280): Preseason All-AAC. Hodges led the team in havoc plays with 19.6, including 16.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and three forced fumbles.

4. LB Nick Anderson (5-10/225): Preseason All-AAC. Anderson was third in tackles at 56, second in tackles for loss with 9.5 and sacks with four.

5. DL Adonis Friloux (6-1/300): Preseason All-AAC. Friloux missed four games with an injury, but he finished with 23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

6. CB Jadon Canady (5-11/175): He was fourth in tackles with 55, plus recorded two interceptions and broke up three passes.

SPECIAL TEAMS

1. KR/PR Jha'quan Jackson: Jackson returned 14 punts for an average of 9.4 per return and 26 kickoffs for an average of 21.2 per return.

2. P Ryan Wright: First Team All-AAC in 2021. Wright averaged 47.5 yards per punt, with 15 downed inside the 20 yard line and booting 22 punts of 50 yards or more.

OFFENSE

1. RB Shaadie Clayton (6-0/200): The Colorado transfer ran for 115 yards on 27 carries with three touchdowns for the Buffaloes

DEFENSE

1. S Lummie Young (6-1/205): A Duke transfer, Young recorded 145 tackles, seven tackles for loss, broke up six passes, recorded two sacks and two interceptions over four seasons with the Blue Devils.

FAN: Kansas State wins if…

They take advantage of a bad Group of Five defense looking to rebound from a disappointing 2021. Granted, this Tulane team did take Oklahoma to the wire to open 2021, but they proved to be mediocre to bad in most areas the rest of the season.

The Green Wave have decent pieces returning and should move back up to the middle of the AAC in 2022. However, that shouldn’t be enough to win in Manhattan

Prediction: Kansas State 38, Tulane 10

DY: Kansas State wins if...

If they don't beat themselves. That's always the key against inferior rosters and teams, and Tulane isn't nearly as talented as K-State. Not to mention, this should be the most talented team that Chris Klieman has assembled.

It's interesting that the Green Wave were so bad on defense a year ago, yet they have many preseason All-AAC picks on that side of the ball. The rest of the league seems to think they'll be a much better defensive squad than an offensive one.

They'll be better than last year, but they aren't one of the better Group of Five rosters in the country.

Prediction: Kansas State 38, Tulane 6