The Tulane Green Wave have ridden one of the bumpiest of roads in 2014. Quarterback discrepancies, injuries, horrid special teams play, inconsistent play by all units, and one of the American Athletic Conference’s more difficult schedules has contributed to the Wave’s underwhelming 3-6 record.
In the face of only tasting victory a few times, Tulane’s bowl hopes are — somehow — still alive with an attainable 6-6 record.
But how realistic is that elusive 6-6 mark?
It certainly seems more in reach now than when the Wave rushed out to a disappointing 1-4 record after playing a strict non-conference slate that included Rutgers from the Big Ten and the top two squads from the ACC Coastal Division: Georgia Tech and Duke.
Memphis, the Green Wave’s next opponent, is a surprising 6-3 on the year and has looked red hot since dropping a 28-24 decision to Houston on Oct. 11, where Tigers QB Paxton Lynch tossed three crucial interceptions.
Like Tulane, the Tigers tested themselves in the non-conference with games at UCLA and at Ole Miss and came out of those battles 0-2. Unlike Tulane, once the conference slate came in full bloom, the Tigers played their best football and are now poised, with a 4-1 AAC record, to at least share its first American title.
The Wave’s expectations for 2014 were higher than they had been since 2003 when Tulane was coming off its first bowl appearance since 1998; they just weren’t “conference title or bust” high.
Before the start of the season, Tulane head coach Curtis Johnson told NOLA.com that he believed in the progression of his team from the end of 2013 to the start of Fall camp, and felt this team could pull out a campaign similar to its 7-6 2013 season.
“What we have to do is just play football like we’re capable of playing and we’ll see where we end up,” Johnson said. “That’s what we did last year and we got in a bowl game, even with three or four other games we probably should have won. We just have to continue to make jumps in this program.”
Tulane has made jumps after starting 1-4. Freshmen quarterback Tanner Lee (1,356 yards, 55.7 completion percentage, 12 touchdowns. 10 interceptions) and running back Sherman Badie (598 yards, 6.36 yards per carry, three TDs) are settling into their roles as the next wave of Tulane players to lead this program to new levels of success. If injuries had not plagued both players season, perhaps the Green Wave would have flipped a close 20-13 loss to UCF into victory.
The sad reality for Tulane fans is the three-game AAC gauntlet staring the Green Wave down as they close out 2014.
Finishing with Memphis (6-2), at East Carolina (6-2) — each probable co-AAC champs — and likely bowling Temple (5-4), is a closing performance not conducive for earning a 6-6 record; no matter how much better Lee, Badie, and the team as a whole is playing down the stretch.
Tulane players will focus on winning the next three games to earn a second consecutive bowl game. And they should. I once heard, “you play to win the game.” Green Wave fans, however, should focus on the teams improvement in the last few weeks and support their team, which is one of the youngest in the FBS, because next season could be special.
Transitioning from one conference to the next is met with unfamiliarity and tougher competition. The Wave know what to expect from the weekly grind and competitive balance the AAC offers. Come 2015, this team will be back in the bowl picture.
But for now, those slim bowl hopes are more like none for the Green Wave.
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