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Keys to Success as Tulane Prepares to Open Season Against Duke
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- Keys to Success as Tulane Prepares to Open Season Against Duke
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Excitement is building as the Tulane Green Wave prepares to take on the Duke Blue Devils to open up its 2026 college football season.
The Olive Green and Sky Blue is looking to defend its American Conference title and return to the College Football Playoff, but there are some hurdles in the way. The team is entering the year with a brand new head coach in Will Hall and several new starters across both offense and defense. Things will look very different in Uptown, and it won't be too surprising if there are some growing pains along the way.
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Duke, the reigning ACC Champion, is going to be the first big challenge of the year for Tulane. Here are three things that the Green Wave must do if it wants to pull off a massive win in Week One.
1. Don't let the offense become one-dimensional.
All offseason, there's been a big emphasis on how good of a rushing attack the Green Wave has.
The running back room is absolutely loaded -- even with standout redshirt sophomore Jamauri McClure potentially out for the game due to a minor injury suffered in fall camp. On top of this, starting quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion is a known threat on the ground.
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While Tulane needs to rely on its strengths, it can't become too predictable. The team will need to find more ways to advance the ball downfield... which leads into the second key to success.
2. Let Chriss-Gremillion prove critics wrong.
Chriss-Gremillion is the veteran leader in the quarterback room, and he earned the starting nod to open up the season after making some strides in the preseason. However, there has been some doubt in Hall's decision to go with the redshirt senior due to his seemingly limited passing abilities.
Chriss-Gremillion had a tough 2024 campaign after transferring to join the Houston Cougars, going 83-of-130 passing for 824 yards with four touchdowns and eight interceptions. He received much more limited playing time in 2025.
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If he can overcome some of these prior struggles and make plays downfield, then Tulane has a much better chance of pulling off the victory. After all, it's no secret that the Blue Devils have some gaps in the secondary.
3. Rely on defensive playmakers.
Safety Jack Tchienchou and linebacker Chris Rodgers are two of the biggest names returning to Uptown this year, and for good reason. The pair put up monster numbers for the Olive Green and Sky Blue last season, and each has garnered some big preseason attention.
Duke's offense is going to come out swinging, and it's going to probably take a bit of an adjustment for Tulane to find its rhythm, given that it's the first game of the year. In those moments, it's important that Tchienchou and Rodgers rise up as leaders, both on the sidelines and in the middle of big plays.
No, these student-athletes can't do everything, but as veterans, they have to be ready to go the extra mile for their team.
