Tulane Green Wave, Navy Midshipmen, faced with major consequences down the line

Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall has done an excellent job in his first season at the helm of keeping his team straight and focused.

His players have bought in, take no opponent lightly and handle business every time they step on the field. It has helped put them in an incredible position as they are ranked No. 25 in the country.

Of course there is work to be done.

They are riding a seven-game winning streak that has pushed their record to 8-2 on the season with an undefeated 6-0 in American Athletic Conference play.

This weekend’s game against the Navy Midshipmen is a massive game. Seam Bill Connelly of ESPN shared in its Week 12 preview, there’s a lot on the line in Annapolis on Saturday afternoon.

“This is almost an elimination game — Tulane is in the AAC championship game against Army with a win, while Navy is almost there with an upset. Tulane has won seven games in a row; the Green Wave now rank in the top 20 in points scored and points allowed per drive But after dismal performances against Notre Dame and Rice, Navy responded well in last week’s easy win over South Florida,” the college football expert wrote.

Basically, the Green Wave and the Midshipmen are playing an elimination game.

There is even more on the line for Tulane given their ranking and potential path to the College Football Playoff.

Their defense will certainly be tested by the unique offensive game plan the Midshipmen employ. The health of their quarterback, Blake Horvath, is an important storyline to watch as he has struggled to produce at the same rate as earlier in the season due to a thumb issue.

Unfortunately, it will require some help to run a course in the common fisheries policy.

The Boise State Broncos, currently holding down the Group of 5 automatic bid, would likely have to lose twice to fall out of contention.

The Army Black Knights would solidify the AAC if they were able to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish next weekend.

They are on a collision course with the Green Wave for the AAC Championship Game.

Wins over Navy, the Memphis Tigers to end the regular season and a potentially ranked Black Knights team would be a nice resume booster for Sumrall’s team.

They certainly pass the eye test with the dismantling they’ve done of opponents some level below them, but the lack of a marquee win as they fell to the Kansas State Wildcats and Oklahoma Sooners in competitive games is what doesn’t make room for error.