The Wildcats are going down south to open up the season on the road in New Orleans.
This marks the kickoff of InsideNU’s summer previews of Northwestern Football’s 2025 opponents. We start off with the Wildcats’ Week 1 opponent, Tulane. The Green Wave have only five starters returning from a season ago, but still look poised to fight for the top spot in the AAC in 2025. Northwestern will travel down to bayou country to play Tulane on August 30.
The Basics
Returning Production: 52% overall (49% offense, 56% defense); 76th in FBS
2024 Record: 9-5 (7-1 AAC)
Head Coach: Jon Sumrall (second season)
The Stats
2025 SP+ Overall: 48th
2025 SP+ Offense: 35th
2025 SP+ Defense: 66th
2025 SP+ Special Teams: 77th
2024 Capsule
Going into the 2024 season, Tulane was one of the few Group of 5 teams with a real shot to make the College Football Playoffs. The season didn’t end up going as planned, however, as the Green Wave didn’t make waves like expected, losing in the AAC Championship Game.
After dropping games to both Kansas State (ranked No. 17 at the time) and Oklahoma (ranked No. 15 at the time), Tulane went on to win eight straight, including seven straight in the AAC. The Green Wave would then lose their last three games: a conference game vs. Memphis, the AAC Championship Game at Army and the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl to Florida.
Tulane was in contention in the AAC the entire season but fell short at the end when it mattered most. Overall, the Green Wave did have a solid season but struggled when it mattered most. The majority of Tulane’s top performers and starters from 2024 did leave in the transfer portal, so it’s a completely fresh look going into 2025.
Offensive Overview
Tulane’s projected starting lineup is nowhere close to resembling what it was last season. Star quarterback Darian Mensah departed for Duke, leaving a big hole for coach Sumrall to fill. Fighting for the starting quarterback spot will be Ball State transfer Kadin Semonza, Illinois transfer Donovan Leary and Iowa (and former Northwestern) transfer Brendan Sullivan. The offensive line needed three new starters, also found through the transfer portal. There is also a lot of size in the tight end room, including Ty Thompson who transitioned over from quarterback this offseason.
The receiving room will consist of some younger guys who didn’t see a ton of action last season for the Green Wave in Bryce Bohanon and Shazz Preston; but getting Omari Hayes from FAU was a big one, as he’ll insert himself as a go-to slot guy. A huge loss on offense was standout running back Makhi Hughes, who is now playing for the Oregon Ducks after rushing for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024. Tulane’s 2025 running back room will now be led by returning junior Arnold Barnes III and Louisville transfer Maurice Turner, a potential breakout candidate for the Green Wave.
Despite this offense looking very different and there being major questions about the quarterback position, Tulane is still poised to be a Group of 5 contender and could very well find itself in the College Football Playoff come December.
Defensive Overview
Last season, Tulane’s defense ranked second in the AAC, allowing only 20.6 points per game, recording 36 sacks and intercepting opposing quarterbacks 14 times (five pick-sixes). Despite some roster reconstruction on the defensive side of the ball, the standard for the Green Wave defense is set. Tulane replaced 13 contributors from 2024’s defensive unit with a major focus from coach Sumrall on the defensive line. Maurice Westmoreland from UTEP comes to New Orleans to be the new “bandit” edge rusher after recording 7.5 sacks in each of his last two seasons along with a forced fumble in each.
The biggest turnaround for this program was on the interior defensive line. App State transfer Santana Hopper had five sacks and two forced fumbles for the Mountaineers last season and was one of the most coveted defensive lineman in the portal this season. Senior Kameron Hamilton returns for the Green Wave as well after recording 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons. At linebacker, losing Tyler Grubbs is a big hit, but Tulane returns Sam Howard (63 tackles in 2024), Chris Rodgers (24 tackles in 2024), Dickson Agu (35 tackles in 2024) and Jesus Machado (98 tackles in 2023), who had been sidelined since an ACL tear in the 2023 Military Bowl.
The secondary took the biggest hit for Tulane, as it lost six players from the 2024 unit who accounted for 136 combined tackles. Cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant has become a household name for the Green Wave after returning two kicks last season for touchdowns and recording 35 tackles. Safety Bailey Despaine was third on the team in tackles last season with 53. Other than that, Tulane is looking for other players, such as younger guys and transfers, to breakout for this secondary as it’s the most vulnerable part of this defense.