There is no such thing as a do-or-die opener, but I really believe the Wake Forest outcome will determine whether Tulane can have a breakthrough season.
It's important for so many reasons.
First, Tulane needs to wipe the bad taste out of it mouth from the the heartbreaking, infuriating way last year ended at SMU. The players used that loss as motivation in the offseason, but they need for something good to happen to validate all their hard work.
Second, it's time for Tulane to beat a Power Five school. The losing streak is at 11 since the Wave beat Rutgers in 2010, with consecutive defeats to Duke, Syracuse, Rutgers, Ole Miss, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Duke, Rutgers, Duke, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma. Wake Forest is solid but vulnerable, having suspended projected starting quarterback Kendal Hinton for the first three games.
Third, it is time for Willie Fritz to beat a P5 opponent. He's never done it while operating at FCS Sam Houston State, Georgia Southern and Tulane, although he came awfully close against North Carolina State. Georgia and Georgia Tech at Georgia Southern and Wake Forest on the road in his first game with Tulane. After that frankly ugly 7-3 loss, he said he had been brought to New Orleans to win games like that. Two years down the road, with a significantly better team, would be a good time to start.
Fourth, what appears on paper to be a slightly tougher schedule than last year would make the path to success tough with an opening loss. Ohio State is a certain defeat. UAB on the road is not an automatic victory. The West is the better division in the AAC, and Tulane does not play bottom feeder UConn out of the East. A 2-0 start--yes, I discount Nicholls even though the Colonels are good for a FCS team--would give the Wave the momentum it needs to take on the rest of the schedule.
If Jonathan Banks stays healthy, I see big things in store for Tulane this year, but the margin for error remains small. Beating Wake Forest would set the right tone and give this team the positive mojo it has not seen since its 6-1 start in 2013.
It's important for so many reasons.
First, Tulane needs to wipe the bad taste out of it mouth from the the heartbreaking, infuriating way last year ended at SMU. The players used that loss as motivation in the offseason, but they need for something good to happen to validate all their hard work.
Second, it's time for Tulane to beat a Power Five school. The losing streak is at 11 since the Wave beat Rutgers in 2010, with consecutive defeats to Duke, Syracuse, Rutgers, Ole Miss, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Duke, Rutgers, Duke, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma. Wake Forest is solid but vulnerable, having suspended projected starting quarterback Kendal Hinton for the first three games.
Third, it is time for Willie Fritz to beat a P5 opponent. He's never done it while operating at FCS Sam Houston State, Georgia Southern and Tulane, although he came awfully close against North Carolina State. Georgia and Georgia Tech at Georgia Southern and Wake Forest on the road in his first game with Tulane. After that frankly ugly 7-3 loss, he said he had been brought to New Orleans to win games like that. Two years down the road, with a significantly better team, would be a good time to start.
Fourth, what appears on paper to be a slightly tougher schedule than last year would make the path to success tough with an opening loss. Ohio State is a certain defeat. UAB on the road is not an automatic victory. The West is the better division in the AAC, and Tulane does not play bottom feeder UConn out of the East. A 2-0 start--yes, I discount Nicholls even though the Colonels are good for a FCS team--would give the Wave the momentum it needs to take on the rest of the schedule.
If Jonathan Banks stays healthy, I see big things in store for Tulane this year, but the margin for error remains small. Beating Wake Forest would set the right tone and give this team the positive mojo it has not seen since its 6-1 start in 2013.
