Preview by Kelly Comarda. Programming note: the FTW Fundraiser to support the Second Harvest Food Bank of New Orleans is up over $4,200. We’re trying to reach $5,000 by kickoff tomorrow. You can support this fundraiser here on GoFundMe. Our Oklahoma Preview Podcast can be found here.
Oooooh Nelly, it’s the Green Wave and the Sooners in a season opening matchup on ABC. When the line opened on this game, Tulane was a 21-point underdog at home. After the Wave evacuated for Hurricane Ida and the game was moved to Norman, OK, the line immediately jumped to 31 and now sits at 31.5 or 32 depending on your favorite betting establishment. Tulane will be boosted early by a ton of emotion.
The key to this game for the Greenies will be whether they can harness that emotion and use it as an advantage or whether that emotion will overcome them and lead to an OU blowout. OU is only filling the lower bowl of Memorial Stadium due to staffing shortages for this short notice “home” game. OU is also asking fans to wear green to show some support for Tulane and the New Orleans community.
While it’s always difficult to play away from home, this isn’t going to be a normal Oklahoma home game. Don’t get me wrong, the crowd will be solidly in the Sooners’ favor but there will be fewer of them and there shouldn’t be as much animosity as a normal away game. I’ve got a weird feeling about this one.
Here are some of the things I’m going to be looking for on Saturday morning.
The Right Side of the Offensive Line
Caleb Thomas and Rashad Green are scheduled to start at right guard and right tackle respectively against possibly the best defensive line in college football. Thomas played well and started a handful of games last season at guard but Green got very little playing time after battling injuries early in the year. Thomas’ weight is up to 290, a 30 plus pound weight gain since his arrival on campus.
He now has the mass to anchor against the bigger interior linemen. Green’s weight has gone the opposite way since arriving on campus. He entered Tulane at approximately 330 lbs and is now down in the 305 lb range. That weight loss should help the physically talented Green move better laterally and help keep Michael Pratt clean.
Big Play Differential
Oklahoma has been explosive on offense under Lincoln Riley and that has to scare Chris Hampton and Willie Fritz in this opening match up. Oklahoma has some real playmakers on offense in Tennessee transfer running back Eric Gray, Arkansas transfer wide receiver Michael Woods and returning wide receivers Marvin Mims, Jadon Haselwood and Theo Wease. Tulane’s veteran secondary will have their hands full with these guys. Tulane won’t stop Oklahoma’s attack, but if the Wave can limit Oklahoma’s big plays and force the Sooners to move the ball down the field one first down at a time, then I like Tulane’s chances to keep this one much closer than Vegas thinks it will be.
When Tulane has the ball, the Wave will have to find a way to create some big plays and pick up 6-7 plays of 20 yards or more. To do that, Tulane is either going to have to dial up some deep balls to Duece Watts or have one of their smaller, quicker playmakers shake free on runs after the catch. Tyjae Spears returns as another x-factor for Tulane both in the running game in and in the passing game. If he can show the elusiveness that he did last year, Tulane is going to be tough to stop on most weeks. For this week, breaking tackles might be the key to achieving those big plays for the wave. Tackling is usually poor in the first game of the season, so hopefully Tulane can take advantage of that.
New Wrinkles
Chip Long and Chris Hampton coached Tulane in the Idaho Potato Bowl in late 2020 but neither had an opportunity to put their own stamp on the game plan. I’d expect to see a lot more throwing under Chip Long than we saw even under Will Hall. Long is a huge fan of the screen pass, the quick passing game and getting the ball in his playmakers’ hands as quickly and as often as possible. Look for Tulane to test Oklahoma’s conditioning early in this game. On defense, Coach Hamp inherits a very deep and experienced back 7 that added transfers Lance Robinson, Derrion Rakestraw and DJ Daniels.
It will be interesting to see how that newfound depth on the back end allows Tulane to employ more complex schemes and personnel packages to try to confuse Spencer Rattler. Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch both said this week that this would be a difficult game to scout and game plan because Tulane has two new coordinators. Could this be an underrated advantage for the Green Wave?
Time to Shine
Angelo Anderson is one of the most heralded recruits to ever sign with Tulane. Last season for Anderson was marred by injuries, but with the graduation of Patrick Johnson, Anderson finds himself in line for a huge role in the Tulane defense. It’s difficult to put so much pressure on a freshman, but Tulane’s defense could take a quantum leap forward if Anderson can provide a consistent pass rush off the edge. Anderson doesn’t have to be Patrick Johnson in order for the Wave to have success on defense, but if he can win one on one matchups and force offenses to help to his side, then it could allow JoJo Dorceus and the crew to get loose.
Special Teams
Merek Glover returns for what feels like his 10th season at Tulane this year. Glover has the leg and experience to be an advantage for Tulane, but he has to find the consistency in the long field goal game that has so far eluded him. If Glover can be consistent from 40-49 yards, that could be an underrated storyline for the Wave this year.
Ryan Wright is a beast of a punter both physically and in his performance. If he can maintain the consistency he found last year, Tulane should have one of the best kicking combinations in the AAC.
Jha’Quan Jackson is the best return man in the AAC and one of the best in college football. If Tulane has any chance to give OU a scare, Jackson is going to be one of the keys to the game. Tulane fans hope he can shake free on a punt return or a kickoff return and flip field position or steal a TD from the Sooners this weekend.
Prediction
My head says that Oklahoma should win this game easy, but I have a strange feeling. Tulane is uniquely equipped at handling logistical adversity. We have endured Katrina, COVID and other short-term evacuations in the past. We have this down to a science. We are a veteran team with a talented quarterback, and we’ll have some new wrinkles for Oklahoma to contend with on both sides of the ball. Does that equate to a win?
No, I don’t think so, but you should take Tulane and the points. I think Tulane hangs in the game with Oklahoma for far longer than anyone thinks they will. Oklahoma pulls away late in the game as the talent gap takes over.
Kelly’s Pick: Oklahoma 45 - Tulane 30
JP’s Pick: Oklahoma 52 - Tulane 24 to beat the spread