The 12-team College Football Playoff has presented some good matchups. Here is the CFP First Round Preview: Tulane at Ole Miss.
Tulane Green Wave (11-2)
Tulane won 11 games including the American Conference Championship to qualify for their first CFP. They defeated six bowl-eligible teams on the year: Northwestern, Duke, ECU, Army, Memphis and North Texas. Both of their losses were to teams that made bowl games: Ole Miss and UTSA. Last time around, Ole Miss won by 35 points, so Tulane will be looking for revenge. Jon Sumrall took the Florida job, but is staying with the team through the CFP.
The Green Wave scores 29.1 points per game, ranking 57th in the FBS. They pass for 240.5 yards (ranked 55th) and rush for 170.2 yards (ranked 55th) per game.
Jake Retzlaff transferred in before the season from BYU to play quarterback. He passed for 2,862 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions on 62.4 percent completion. Four receivers have over 300 yards on the season for Tulane. Shazz Preston has led the team this season with 38 catches for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. Anthony Brown-Stephens, Omari Hayes and Bryce Bohanon have been right behind him with 466, 463 and 417 receiving yards, respectively.
Retzlaff has led the team in rushing from the quarterback position with 610 yards and 16 touchdowns. Three running backs have over 200 rushing yards this season. Javin Gordon is the lead back with 505 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Jamauri McClure had 456 rushing yards and Arnold Barnes III totaled 217.
Defensively, the Green Wave allow 22.6 points per game, ranking 50th in the country. They give up 120.4 rushing yards (ranked 30th) and 255.2 passing yards (ranked 121st) per game. Jack Tchienchou leads the team with 77 tackles from his safety position. Harvey Dyson paces the team with seven sacks. Jaheim Johnson has made plenty of plays on the ball with eight passes defended and four interceptions.
Ole Miss Rebels (11-1)
The Rebels won 11 games to qualify for their first CFP. They defeated four bowl-eligible teams this season: Tulane, LSU, Washington State and Oklahoma. Their lone loss was to Georgia, a team that made the CFP. Lane Kiffin accepted the LSU job and will not be coaching the team in the CFP, as Pete Golding, former defensive coordinator, is now the head coach.
Ole Miss scores 37.2 points per game, ranking 11th in the country. They pass for 309.6 yards (tied third) and rush for 188.5 yards (ranked 31st) per game.
Trinidad Chambliss started the season as the backup after transferring up from D-II-level Ferris State. He took over the starting job and played well, passing for 3,016 yards, 18 touchdowns and three interceptions on 65.5 percent completion. Six pass catchers have over 350 receiving yards on the season. Penn State transfer Harrison Wallace is the leading target with 719 yards and three touchdowns. Deuce Alexander, Cayden Lee, De’Zhaun Stribling and tight end Dae’Quan Wright have also all been great targets.
Kewan Lacy handles the majority of the carries out of the backfield for the Rebels. He rushed for 1,279 yards and 20 touchdowns on the season. Chambliss has been the team’s second-leading rusher from the quarterback position with 470 yards and six touchdowns. No other player on the team has more than 25 carries on the season.
The Rebels’ defense concedes 20.1 points per game, tying them for 24th in the FBS. They allow 150.5 rushing yards (ranked 70th) and 182.6 passing yards (ranked 20th) per game. Linebacker TJ Dottery has the team-high with 77 sacks. Princwell Umanmielen pressures the quarterback well and has 6.5 sacks on the year. Wydett Williams Jr. has been impressive with eight passes defended and three interceptions.
Prediction
Ole Miss has already defeated Tulane and will likely do so without Lane Kiffin. With all the distraction, they may not win by as large of a margin, especially if Retzlaff can continue extending plays with his legs.
Ole Miss Rebels 35 Tulane Green Wave 21
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