The Tulane Green Wave ended last season with an 11-3 record, 7-1 slate in conference play, an American Conference title, and a trip to the College Football Playoff, but it was arguably an ugly path they took to get there.
There were signs early in non-conference play, where the Green Wave got out to a bit of an early lead and then allowed that to fizzle against the South Alabama Jaguars and Duke Blue Devils.
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After not allowing a single point in the second and third quarter, Tulane was outscored 17-6 in the fourth quarter by the Jaguars. Against Duke, they entered the fourth quarter up 31-16, and ended up winning 34-27 in a one score contest that should’ve been locked up much sooner.
That same formula transpired throughout conference play. Now, it did lead to some grit being formed by the team.
Against Army, they had to score 14 points in the fourth quarter to beat them after going down 17-10 for the first time all contest, and things feeling for the first time like they could bottom out in their American slate.
They built real toughness mounting that stand in the fourth quarter.
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But it showed signs of an imperfect, flawed team that was perhaps not as strong and stout as seasons’ past. They just happened to be the more successful ones.
Sometimes, football is a lot about luck. There are teams where it just seems like things won’t go their way.
Things didn’t necessarily feel lucky last season, but it felt like things could have easily been 7-6, which would have meant one less game – the conference title matchup – and no trip to the CFP.
Then there was the gritty stand over the Memphis Tigers. But Tulane got out to the lead early against them as well.
Sometimes with conference rivals who are more evenly matched, that’s going to happen.
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But a team can’t expect to get away with as much late as the Green Wave did last season and aim to replicate that same level of success or greater.
A strong start is crucial to winning football games. But so is retaining that pace.
Tulane relinquished momentum far too often last season.
They enter this season with a new head coach, new identity, new starting quarterback.
That makes things a little rockier should adversity continue to hit, and self-afflicted adversity at that with the way Tulane let things get out of hand last season.
That will be a key to their success as much as anything else this upcoming season.
