Coach Geezy in the Big Easy: Our City, Our Team | Part II - The Golden Age of Tulane

[Cheese2121]

Re: Coach Geezy in the Big Easy: Our City, Our Team | Part II - The Golden Age of Tul

Dang man just dang...Southern Miss just has your number. I had a feeling about this game and was worried. While I think in the big picture it does little for your overall positioning at seasons end, it still stings. Your run defense just fell apart (looked a little bit like mine these days...which is never a good thing).

The offense really didn't play that bad; I mean the two turnovers from Obi are of course less than ideal but neither one seemed to be his fault, one he gets hit and the other comes on a chuck and pray. Not really much you can do in either situation.

While the loss certainly stings from a storytelling standpoint, wow, it makes for some great writing. I know we have discussed it before and I am not sure it could be done but it sure would be cool to see Southern Miss make the move to a power conference. Which coincidentally makes me wonder, whatever did happen to Miss St after they were relegated for you, did the program ever bounce back?

Florida looks to be firing on all cylinders but I am hoping Geezy has the boys out for blood, a Sugar Bowl berth would be a very nice ending to this up and down season. Good luck man!

[Deegeezy]

Southern Miss strikes again. This rivalry is something serious always close and when you go to the Burg it's like they bring extra passion. Hate to see the streak end

Yeah man, Southern Miss has our number, plain and simple. I am finding myself having a lot of problems with their fast-paced air raid attack, especially in their building.

Sure makes for some fun writing, but it is frustrating nonetheless. Looking at their roster, they're positioned to be pretty good for quite a while, too.

Damn, what a run it was for your team. Sucks that it didn't end the way we all wanted but it's college football and anything can happen. I feel your pain in this loss.

Because I'm obligated to comment on this I'm excited Michigan is in the title game, lol. I'm sure that's gonna be a great game.

Good luck in the SEC Championship game! You guys can spoil their season much like yours did.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

I am actually surprised that it is Michigan that is the shoe-in for the title game and not defending national champion USC. Could you imagine the outrage if this was real life?!

I almost feel OBLIGATED to beat Florida, if only to give the Trojans some BCS justice.

Florida is crazy good. Averaging 40.3 per game and giving up just 11.5 per game. Surreal. Just to put it in real life circumstances, since 2003-04, teams with greater than 28 point differential per game are:

2003-04 Louisville, 30.1
2005-06 Texas, 33.8
2008-09 Florida, 29.2
2008-09 USC, 28.5
2010-11 Boise St., 32.3
2013-14 Florida St., 41.8

Have I not paid enough attention in the other seasons of this dynasty or has Florida had just a crazy season?

Some interesting analysis there. That's crazy. They have a great QB/RB/WR combo working for them, with the QB and WR both in the Heisman race.

2013 Florida St. tho!

We better be clicking on all cylinders in this one. Florida hasn't been anything spectacular during this dynasty, though they did win the conference last year for the first time during this report. They're on the come up on the national scene.

It is also worth mentioning that we are scheduled to play the Gators these next two seasons, so they will be becoming a bigger part of this storyline during what appears to be the possible start of their glory years.

That's absolutely devastating... seems like the clock finally struck midnight on Obi's Cinderella story under center unfortunately. Definitely think with the squad that you have though that you'll have a very good shot at playing spoiler!

The Obi-era of the past few weeks sure has been fun, but you're right, tough to see him go down like that.

He has his flaws, no doubt, but I always felt like I had a chance to win or get the crucial first downs when I needed them with him and his running ability under center.

That said, I can't wait for more boy Bryce to get back.

Dang man just dang...Southern Miss just has your number. I had a feeling about this game and was worried. While I think in the big picture it does little for your overall positioning at seasons end, it still stings. Your run defense just fell apart (looked a little bit like mine these days...which is never a good thing).

The offense really didn't play that bad; I mean the two turnovers from Obi are of course less than ideal but neither one seemed to be his fault, one he gets hit and the other comes on a chuck and pray. Not really much you can do in either situation.

While the loss certainly stings from a storytelling standpoint, wow, it makes for some great writing. I know we have discussed it before and I am not sure it could be done but it sure would be cool to see Southern Miss make the move to a power conference. Which coincidentally makes me wonder, whatever did happen to Miss St after they were relegated for you, did the program ever bounce back?

Florida looks to be firing on all cylinders but I am hoping Geezy has the boys out for blood, a Sugar Bowl berth would be a very nice ending to this up and down season. Good luck man!

You're right man, those losses sure make for some fun stories of adversity. I love the fact that 14 years in, the losses are still coming.

As for Mississippi St., they're pretty much become a 1-11/0-12 cellar dwellar in Conference USA. They went into a slumber early on in this dynasty and have just never been able to dig themselves out of that hole.

This Florida team is pretty stacked. They have a couple of Heisman contenders offensively, and as you'll see in a few days when I post the preview, their front-7 is pretty nasty. We will have to bring our 'A' game like we did against Bama just to have a shot; the Gators are loaded.

Thanks bros!

[Deegeezy]

2023 NCAA FOOTBALL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK PREVIEW

#2 FLORIDA ONE WIN AWAY FROM LIKELY BCS NATIONAL TITLE GAME APPEARANCE

Should Gators lose to #14 Tulane, USC will face Michigan in New Orleans in title game | #5 Georgia Tech trying for a third straight ACC championship | 2021 Trojans Heisman winner Fontenot, pair from Florida headline 2023 Heisman ceremony invitee list

ACC Championship Game -- Charlotte, NC

#22 Clemson 9-2 (6-2)
#5 Georgia Tech 10-1 (7-1)



Big XII Championship Game -- Dallas, TX

Kansas 8-4 (6-2)
#19 Texas 9-3 (6-2)



Conference USA Championship Game -- Orlando, FL

Houston 8-4 (6-2)
#15 UCF 11-1 (8-0)



MAC Championship Game -- Detroit, MI

Ohio 9-3 (7-1)
Central Michigan 10-1 (8-1)



SEC Championship Game -- Atlanta, GA

#14 Tulane 9-3 (8-0)
#2 Florida 12-0 (8-0)

Conference Championships Already Determined: Big East: #8 West Virginia 11-1 (7-0), Big Ten: #1 Michigan 12-0 (8-0), Mountain West: #7 TCU 11-1 (8-0), Pac-10: #3 USC 12-0 (9-0), Sun Belt: UL-Monroe 10-2 (7-1), Western Athletic: #24 Hawai'i 10-2 (8-1)


----------------------------------------------------



2023 HEISMAN TROPHY FINALISTS

Ceremony Invitees (in alphabetical order):
1. 14-QB David Fontenot (rs-sr): 238 of 319, 3,264 yds, 34 tds, 3 ints | 99 car, 414 yds, 11 rush tds
2. 10-QB Joey Holmes (rs-sr): 290 of 476, 3,703 yds, 36 tds, 10 ints | 145 car, 346 yds, 5 rush tds
3. 7-WR Matt Kelley (sr): 96 rec, 1,418 yds, 13 tds | 22 kr, 530 yds | 62 pr, 738 yds
4. 9-QB Darrius Leonard (sr): 366 of 551, 4,924 yds, 48 tds, 9 ints | 158 car, 473 yds, 7 rush tds
5. 22-RB Cameron Miller (jr): 295 car, 1,474 yds, 11 tds | 40 rec, 572 yds, 9 tds

.

[Cheese2121]

Re: Coach Geezy in the Big Easy: Our City, Our Team | Part II - The Golden Age of Tul

I can't believe USC is getting stiffed in this with them being the defending champions, just seems wrong but an interesting storyline nonetheless. That Florida duo looks to be really hot. I am looking forward to seeing the entire team preview.

[Deegeezy]

I can't believe USC is getting stiffed in this with them being the defending champions, just seems wrong but an interesting storyline nonetheless. That Florida duo looks to be really hot. I am looking forward to seeing the entire team preview.

Yeah man, could you imagine the outrage if this was real life?! An undefeated defending national champ snubbed? I wish I could mod in a playoff but on the other hand I must admit, I do sort of miss the BCS debates from back in the day.

Florida is on fire. Looking at the three schools' resumes, I'd think USC should be #1 and the Gators should be #2. Michigan doesn't look as impressive as those two schools (sorry DavidtheGreat ). Plus a USC-Florida matchup would put 3 Heisman finalists on the field together.

[Deegeezy]

Green Wave News Clips

QB Bryce Allen and WR Brandon McIntyre have battled injuries most of the second half of this season.

Tulane | Geezy decides to shut down QB Allen, WR McIntyre
Wed, 6 Dec 2023 06:18:06 -0700

report courtesy Dianna Russini, ESPN.com

Dianna Russini of ESPN.com reports that after running into Tulane head coach D. Geezy in the middle of the night at the team's hotel in Atlanta Tuesday, she was told that the 14th year head coach has decided to sit both QB Bryce Allen (89 ovr) and top WR Brandon McIntyre (90 ovr) for not only this weekend's upcoming SEC title game versus #2 Florida, but also the remainder of the 2023 season. Allen has been dealing with a partially torn labrum since suffering the injury in week 9's 33-32 victory over Tennessee. McIntyre, on the other hand, has battled both an abdominal injury suffered in that same week 9 win and is now dealing with a stress fracture injury in his left foot suffered in last week's 42-33 loss at Southern Miss, his first game back since the original abdominal injury.

"We believe it is in both players' best interests that we put their health as the priority and shut them down this season," said Geezy to Russini.

"Bryce's shoulder hasn't healed quite at the rate we were expecting it to. There was no setback, but he is still dealing with some extreme soreness after throwing sessions. There was no way he was going to be able to be a full-go this week, and then with only one game left after that, considering how long he's been out, it would be unfair to throw him right back out there. (Backup QB) Obi Clemons will start the SEC Championship Game and bowl game.

"And then B-Mac's foot injury is nothing to play around with either. We just want to see these guys get healthy for hopefully what will be very productive senior seasons, assuming they return."

Allen, a former blue chip recruit from Federal Heights, Colorado, will finish his injury-shortened junior season with 1,872 passing yards to go along with 16 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. And McIntyre, a Prien, Louisiana native that was having a career year before his injuries, finishes his junior season with 36 receptions for 767 yards and a career-high 8 touchdowns.



___________________________

Click here to view 2023 Tulane Green Wave Roster

[Cheese2121]

Re: Coach Geezy in the Big Easy: Our City, Our Team | Part II - The Golden Age of Tul

Not surprising to see McIntyre deactivated, I figured after he left the last game. A little surprising to see the plug pulled on Allen but with him getting the questionable tag for the championship game probably just best to ride through with Obi. I would be lying if I didn't admit I am a little excited to see Obi get to keep the reigns down the stretch.

[Deegeezy]

Not surprising to see McIntyre deactivated, I figured after he left the last game. A little surprising to see the plug pulled on Allen but with him getting the questionable tag for the championship game probably just best to ride through with Obi. I would be lying if I didn't admit I am a little excited to see Obi get to keep the reigns down the stretch.

Yeah, I never play a guy listed as "questionable" as they normally don't play very well in my experience; I believe they get some sort of ratings drop.

So I ultimately decided that if Bryce isn't going to play in the SEC title game, it makes no sense to put him back into the position for the bowl game and change the play-style we've gotten used to with Obi for just one game. Plus I feel as though Clemons has sort of "earned it."

Make no mistake about it though, next year Bryce is THE guy, assuming he returns to school.

[Deegeezy]

Game 13, Year 14 Preview (2023 season): #14 Tulane Green Wave vs. #2 Florida Gators

GAME 13 PREVIEW

Courtesy










Latest Line (courtesy Bovada - Las Vegas):


....................7 1/2....................

Tulane CB Josh Warren's 104-yard interception return touchdown broke an NCAA record and made the score 17-0 in the second quarter.

Last Meeting: Back in the 2021 SEC Championship Game, then-#8 Tulane played one of its sloppiest offensive games of the year, however a stout defensive performance helped them come away with a 20-0 victory over then-#23 Florida to win the school's 6th Southeastern Conference title since its return to the conference in 2014. In what was just the second shutout of the Coach D. Geezy era, the Wave held Florida to only 157 offensive yards while also collecting three interceptions during the contest, including one that was returned 104 yards for a touchdown by former Wave CB Josh Warren. Former Wave star RB Buck Johnson III did manage to gain 102 yards on the ground versus the Gators defense, helping his team improve its record to 11-2 on the season. It was the team's third time meeting Florida in the SEC Championship Game, as they defeated the Gators 48-14 in the 2019 title tilt and also faced off in the 2017 title game (details below).

2020: After seeing WR Ryan Jean blow past Gators CB Eric Jones' jam attempt at the line of scrimmage, QB Jimmy Williams heaved a 34-yard touchdown pass to the sophomore stud that gave their team a 20-17 lead midway through the third quarter.

Last Meeting II: Three seasons ago, after trailing 17-10 early in the third quarter, then-#5 Tulane reeled off 24 unanswered points on their way to a 34-17 victory over unranked Florida at "The Swamp." Former Green Wave QB Jimmy Williams threw for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns while his favorite target on the day, WR Ryan Jean, racked up 6 receptions for 125 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Wave improved their record to 9-1 on the year.

2017: On the next play following a Gators turnover less than a minute into the third quarter, former Green Wave QB Jamie Manning lined up with an empty backfield and heaved a deep pass to streaking RB Reggie Moore which was caught for a 43-yard touchdown to make the score 27-17.

Last Meeting (Bonus): These two teams also met in the 2017 SEC Championship Game, a game Tulane won 41-31 to improve their record to 13-0 before eventually falling to USC in the BCS National Championship Game a few weeks later. Former Green Wave QB Jamie Manning completed 14 of his 25 passes for 344 yards and 3 touchdowns along with 0 interceptions and former RB Brett Curtis chipped in with 14 carries for 98 yards, including a 63-yard fourth quarter touchdown with 4:01 remaining to extend Tulane's lead to their eventual 10-point victory margin. Eventual Heisman Trophy winning RB Reggie Moore finished the game with 204 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns in what was his final audition for the prestigious award. The Wave won despite former Florida QB Tyler Skinner finishing 36 of 51 for 450 yards and 2 touchdowns and giving up over 500 yards defensively to the Gators.

Starting Lineups/Key Players:





* - IMPACT player

Click here to view 2023 Tulane Green Wave Roster





Injuries:


:

12-QB *Bryce Allen (jr) - 89 ovr: Torn Shoulder, out for season
6-WR *Brandon McIntyre (jr) - 90 ovr: Foot Stress Fracture, out for season




:

None




Schedules/Results:














Head Coach D. Geezy's Take

Tulane head coach D. Geezy addressed the media at Thursday morning's media conference in Atlanta.

This has been a roller-coaster ride of a season to say the least, but in the end we find ourselves in position to win a 7th SEC Championship, and that's something we certainly don't take for granted after not winning 2 of the past 3 titles. We came into this year wanting to win a national championship, and as we've certainly learned these past 5+ seasons, those opportunities aren't always going to come.

Florida is an outstanding football team that is clearly ascending - they are the defending conference champions from a year ago and they're ranked #2 in the country this season for a reason. They boast two Heisman finalists on offense in QB Joey Holmes (90 ovr) and WR Matt Kelley (87 ovr), who are both seniors. They also have a very good running back in Marcus McBride (86 ovr), who has rushed for almost 1,300 yards this year. They're just so well-balanced across the board.

Defensively, they're absolutely amazing. They are a top 10 rated unit that has one of if not the best linebacking groups we are going to see. MLB Justin Ross (91 ovr) sets the tone for that entire unit, and their edge rushers, DE Phil Horne (90 ovr) and DE Johnny Stephens (84 ovr), are disruptive and cause a lot of problems for offenses.

This is a huge game for Florida because obviously with a win, they get to go play for the BCS title, and they'd get to do it on our home field - if we don't want that to happen, we're going to have to come out and play smart, efficient football in all three phases.



- Tulane head coach D. Geezy



.

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: Game 13, Year 14 Preview (2023 season): #14 Tulane Green Wave vs. #2 Florida Gato

This is going to be a tough SEC Championship, but good luck nonetheless. Kudos to you always for grinding through a rough season, but it makes it all the more enjoyable to read because it has that level of realism wrapped in a game with fantasy results. I've taken a fair break from playing but every time I read your work I get the itch to jump back in (too many sports to play, not enough time lol).

Looking at the rosters, seems like whichever secondary performs the most admirably will be the difference. Neither group looks spectacular, and Tulane has the tougher task thanks to Holmes & Kelley.

[DavidTheGreat20]

Re: Coach Geezy in the Big Easy: Our City, Our Team | Part II - The Golden Age of Tul

Good luck against the Gators. They are no joke for sure. Aside from their average corners they seem to have no weaknesses. We've seen unbelievable upsets before (as a Michigan fan I've been through a couple to say the least) and hopefully your boys come out with the W.

Michigan doesn't look as impressive as those two schools (sorry DavidtheGreat ).

Wasn't gonna let this slip by, lol. We're undefeated, what can I say?

[Deegeezy]

This is going to be a tough SEC Championship, but good luck nonetheless. Kudos to you always for grinding through a rough season, but it makes it all the more enjoyable to read because it has that level of realism wrapped in a game with fantasy results. I've taken a fair break from playing but every time I read your work I get the itch to jump back in (too many sports to play, not enough time lol).

Looking at the rosters, seems like whichever secondary performs the most admirably will be the difference. Neither group looks spectacular, and Tulane has the tougher task thanks to Holmes & Kelley.

I'll tell you what man, it's seasons like these that keep me hungry for more. The fact that I am in year 14 and still losing multiple games is very satisfying. We actually have more regular season losses this year that we have had in a decade. It'll make it all the more gratifying for the moment when I (hopefully) win another championship.

In regards to the rosters - I would say that's probably an accurate assessment. They're the better team on paper though, so we will definitely have to play mistake-free football. If they get up early, it could be a long day. Hopefully we can keep that QB to WR combo in check and not let either of them have any signature Heisman moments before their big ceremony next week.

Good luck against the Gators. They are no joke for sure. Aside from their average corners they seem to have no weaknesses. We've seen unbelievable upsets before (as a Michigan fan I've been through a couple to say the least) and hopefully your boys come out with the W.



Wasn't gonna let this slip by, lol. We're undefeated, what can I say?

Agree...this team is top to bottom good, but vulnerable in the secondary. We may try to come out and test those corners of theirs early. Running the ball looks like it may be a chore versus that front-7.

As for Michigan, I must say that after looking at Michigan's schedule, they definitely deserve the spot. Florida on the other hand has had one of the weakest schedules I have ever seen for an SEC school. As I think I stated to someone in an earlier reply, I feel like I almost owe it to USC to win this game. They're getting shafted.

Thanks fellas...time to kick off yet another SEC title game!

[itsbigmike]

Re: Coach Geezy in the Big Easy: Our City, Our Team | Part II - The Golden Age of Tul

Okay, that Florida schedule is not good at all. No wonder than ran up the scores so much.

[Deegeezy]

Okay, that Florida schedule is not good at all. No wonder than ran up the scores so much.

[Deegeezy]

Game 13, Year 14 (2023 season): #14 Tulane Green Wave vs. #2 Florida Gators

#14 17 -- 9-4 (8-1)
#2 36 -- 13-0 (9-0)

QB Joey Holmes along with his teammates and fans alike did the "Gator Chomp" all evening long during the course of winning their second straight Southeastern Conference title.

#14 Tulane overwhelmed as #2 Florida claims second straight SEC Championship in 36-17 thrashing | Heisman finalists Holmes and Kelley each shine as Gators win clinches them a spot in BCS National Championship Game, to be played at Green Wave's Mercedes-Benz Superdome home field | QB Clemons has worst performance of the season, turning the ball over a whopping 5 times versus ferocious Gators' D | Wave loss gives them their first 4-loss campaign since 2013 season

Atlanta, GA -- Going into Saturday night's game, Tulane had played in 7 SEC Championship Games since its return the conference in 2014, with its only loss coming in a 48-24 defeat to South Carolina in 2020. With a BCS Championship Game appearance on the line, #2 Florida became the second team to knock off head coach D. Geezy's bunch in Atlanta, soundly blowing away the Green Wave 36-17 at the Georgia Dome. Senior QB Joey Holmes, a Heisman Trophy finalist, did everything he could to put his team in position to play for the national title, finishing the game an impressive 25 of 33 for 343 yards and 2 touchdown passes, padding his Heisman resume while helping his team win its second consecutive SEC title.

Heisman Trophy finalist Joey Holmes was as great as advertised on Saturday, carving the Green Wave secondary up for 343 passing yards and 2 touchdowns to go along with his 55 yards on the ground.

Holmes' day did get off to an inauspicious start however, as he was stripped of the football by Green Wave CB Tyler Harrison at the conclusion of his career-long 47-yard rush on the game's opening possession and DE Graham Collier recovered at his team's 28-yard line. But from then on, it was all Holmes and the Gators' star-studded offensive attack.

After his team's defense forced a Green Wave punt following the turnover, Holmes would direct a 7-play 66-yard drive. The possession culminated with a 1-yard touchdown run by RB Luke Johnson that gave the Gators a 7-0 advantage.

Tulane quickly answered with a touchdown drive of their own, an 8-play, 81-yard march that lasted 2:55 and ended with a 9-yard touchdown run by RB Tony Tompkins, but little did they know at that time that it would be their last time finding the end zone offensively.

After the two teams traded field goals back and forth, the Gators led 13-10 with just over a minute to play until the halftime break. But the first of several costly mistakes by Tulane would prove devastating.

QB Obi Clemons (73 ovr), making his 5th career start in place of injured starting QB Bryce Allen (89 ovr), had made a penchant playing error-free football during his run of going 4-1 as the team's starter, but that all changed Saturday and it started with less than a minute to go in the second quarter. Following a scramble for a short gain, Gators' DE Johnny Stephens was able to successfully pry the football out of Clemons' hands and LB Dedrick Haumiller recovered deep in Wave territory. Four plays later, Holmes found his star TE Jamie Slaughter for an 11-yard touchdown with 0:02 remaining in the half, making the score 20-10 and giving Florida extra momentum going into the break.

"The decision for us to try to get points before halftime is one that is going to haunt me for a long time," said Geezy.

Florida junior DE Phil Horne gave Tulane freshman RT Kyle Gray (#70) fits all evening long, finishing with a game-high 3 sacks.

"There was a strong thought about just kneeling on the ball and being happy to only be down 13-10 to the #2 team in the country, but we got greedy and it cost us."

That it did.

Florida, who only punted once during the contest, would go on to score the game's next 16 points, getting three more field goals from PK Joey Wells, who finished the day 5 of 5 on field goal tries on the evening.

The Green Wave had a difficult time stopping the combination of Holmes and his #1 WR Matt Kelley, also a Heisman finalist who will accompany Holmes for next week's Heisman ceremony. Kelley finished the evening with 8 receptions for 123 yards, routinely getting past Green Wave defenders.

"They moved Kelley all over the field to get him into match-ups they liked. He played slot, played the flanker on both the left and right side," said Tulane defensive coordinator Steve Ellis.

"That was just some great, creative game-planning to get their star the football."

The Gators defense completely dominated Clemons and the Wave offense the entire second half. Clemons was sacked 5 times during the game, including 3 times in the second half alone by Florida DE Phil Horne.

Tulane finished the night with a season-low 207 offensive yards, its lowest output since their 20-0 SEC Championship Game victory over Florida in 2021, the last time these two teams met. And defensively they surrendered over 500 offensive yards for a second straight week, as the Gators finished with 512 yards one week after the Green Wave surrendered 513 yards in their 42-33 loss last week to Southern Miss.

"They really overwhelm you offensively and they smother you defensively; that's ultimately why they're going to be playing for a championship in a few weeks," said Geezy.

The game would get put away when Holmes found WR Josh Jones in the back of the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown that made the score 36-10 with 4:45 remaining.

The Green Wave would finally dent the scoreboard in the second half when Tompkins returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown that made the score 36-17, but the sophomore's fourth kickoff return touchdown this season was too little too late for the Wave. They'd get two more opportunities with the football, however both possessions would end with Clemons' desperation jump balls getting intercepted by Florida SS C.J. Mason.

Tulane players and coaches walk off the field losers at the Georgia Dome for just the second time in eight appearances in the SEC Championship Game.

Clemons finished the game just 10 of 23 for 148 yards with no touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and a lost fumble, by far his worst outing as Tulane's signal caller.

"You just feel bad for a guy like Obi," said Tulane offensive coordinator Curtis Byrd.

"He helped lead us to this point, and today the wheels just kind of came off. Granted, a couple of those turnovers were out of desperation, but at the end of the day, it's an ugly stat sheet and something he'll catch a lot of the blame for from outsiders. This was a team loss though."

The defeat for Tulane (9-4, 8-1) means that for a second consecutive year, they have failed to win the SEC, this coming after winning 6 of 7 possible conference titles from 2015-2021. They will also not qualify for a BCS bowl game for a second straight year. Their four losses gives them their most losses since the 2013 season, a year they finished 10-4 during the final season as a member of Conference USA.

Tulane will play Florida each of the next two regular seasons as a part of their normal SEC cross-division rotation, starting next year at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Gators meanwhile will likely next face #1 Michigan in the 2023 BCS National Championship Game, also set to be played in Tulane’s home venue.

"As we saw today, that team over in that other locker room is an outstanding bunch, and they'll have an opportunity to do something very special in a few weeks at our house," said Geezy.

"Obviously we on the other hand have a lot of soul-searching to do. We are not playing at the level we've become accustomed to these past 8 or 9 years. You can say what you want about injuries this season, but regardless, we still are doing all the things that can get you beat and I have to do a better job of getting our team ready to play, regardless of the circumstances."

As the game's final seconds tick off the clock, Gators players celebrate as their win Saturday clinches them a spot in BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans.

Box Score

Tulane Green Wave at Florida Gators
	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#14 Tulane Green Wave 9-4 (8-1)	7	3	0	7	17
#2 Florida Gators 13-0 (9-0)	7	13	6	10	36

1st

: 1 yd TD run by Johnson (Wells kick) 4:51 -- 0-7
: 9 yd TD run by Tompkins (Larson kick) 1:56 -- 7-7

2nd

: 25 yd FG by Wells 7:07 -- 7-10
: 26 yd FG by Larson 3:30 -- 10-10
: 29 yd FG by Wells 1:01 -- 10-13
: 11 yd TD pass from Holmes to Slaughter (Wells kick) 0:01 -- 10-20

3rd

: 18 yd FG by Wells 6:16 -- 10-23
: 35 yd FG by Wells 2:29 -- 10-26

4th

: 18 yd FG by Wells 7:38 -- 10-29
: 28 yd TD pass from Holmes to Jones (Wells kick) 4:45 -- 10-36
: 100 yd kickoff return TD by Tompkins (Larson kick) 4:33 -- 17-36

Game Statistics


#14 Tulane

Click here to view 2023 Tulane Green Wave Roster

[size=1]
* - IMPACT Player
[U]
Passing                            RATING  COMP  ATT  YDS  TD  INT [/U]
 8-QB  Obi Clemons(rs-so)            62.7   10    23  148   0   4
[U]
Rushing                            ATT  YDS  TD [/U]
 8-QB  Obi Clemons(rs-so)           13    6   0
34-RB  Tim Powers(sr)                5   18   0
 5-RB  Tony Tompkins(so)             5   35   1 (8 kr, 234 yds, 1 td | 1 pr, 3 yds)
[U]
Receiving                          REC  YDS  TD [/U]
11-WR  *Jason Mason(jr)              5   52   0
80-WR  Lionel Parks(rs-so)           3   40   0
 9-WR  Rashaad Hicks-Walker(rs-sr)   1   21   0
 5-RB  Tony Tompkins(so)             1   35   0
 1-TE  Ronnie Parsons(so)            2   23   0
[U]
Defensive Leaders                  TAK  SOLO  AST  TFL  SCK  INT [/U]
 4-SS  Jonathan Smith(so)            8    8    0    1    0    0
41-FS  LeCharles Smith Jr.(jr)       7    6    1    0    0    0
44-RE  T.J. Pearson(fr)              6    4    2    3    0    0
56-MLB Sean Williams(so)             6    5    1    1    0    0
[u]
Kicking                            FG MADE FG ATT LONG  MISSED  XP MADE XP ATT [/U]
49-PK  Aaron Larson(fr)              1       1     26     n/a     2       2

[B][U]Tulane Key Team Stats:[/U][/B]

Total Offensive Yards: 207
Rushing Totals: 23 att 59 yds 1 td
Sacks Allowed: 5
3rd down conversions: 3-8 (37%)
4th down conversions: 0-0 (0%)
Offensive Turnovers: 5
Penalties: 3 for 30 yards
[/size]

#2 Florida

[size=1]
* - IMPACT Player
[U]
Passing                            RATING  COMP  ATT  YDS  TD  INT [/U]
10-QB  *Joey Holmes(rs-sr)          183.0   25    33  343   2   0
[U]
Rushing                            ATT  YDS  TD [/U]
17-RB  Marcus McBride(jr)           23  108   0
10-QB  *Joey Holmes(rs-sr)          11   55   0
34-RB  Luke Johnson(rs-sr)           3    2   1
 3-WR  Josh Jones(so)                2    6   0
13-WR  Zach Fowler(jr)               1   -2   0
[U]
Receiving                          REC  YDS  TD [/U]
 7-WR  *Matt Kelley(sr)              8  123   0 (1 kr, 18 yds | 3 pr, 12 yds)
 3-WR  Josh Jones(so)                5   50   1
86-TE  Jamie Slaughter(jr)           5   26   1
17-RB  Marcus McBride(jr)            5   84   0
13-WR  Zach Fowler(jr)               2   30   0
[U]
Defensive Leaders                  TAK  SOLO  AST  TFL  SCK  INT [/U]
99-LE  Phil Horne(jr)                7    6    1    5    3    0
23-SS  C.J. Mason(sr)                4    3    1    0    0    2
 4-OLB Dedrick Haumiller(rs-sr)      3    2    1    1    1    1 (1 fr)
 9-DT  Jared Wayne(rs-so)            3    2    1    1    1    0
 2-CB  Dave Williams(fr)             2    1    1    0    0    1
[u]
Kicking                            FG MADE FG ATT LONG  MISSED  XP MADE XP ATT [/U]
14-PK  Joey Wells(jr)                5       5     35     n/a     3       3

[B][U]Floirda Team Stats:[/U][/B]

Total Offensive Yards: 512
Rushing Totals: 40 att 169 yds 1 td
Sacks Allowed: 0
3rd down conversions: 8-16 (50%)
4th down conversions: 0-0 (0%)
Offensive Turnovers: 1
Penalties: 5 for 50 yards
[/size]

2023 Tulane Green Wave Schedule/Results

[SIZE=1]
                                                                     
Opponent (record)            Result        Tulane Player of the Game              -Record-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
vs #4 Boise St. (10-1)       L 17-44       WR Hicks-Walker 3 rec 123 yds 1 td     0-1 (0-0)
at #8 Notre Dame (10-2)      L 25-30       RB Tompkins 16 car 182 yds 2 tds       0-2 (0-0)
vs Miami (7-5)               W 23-03       LB Williams 7 tk 3 tfl 2 ff            1-2 (0-0)
vs LSU (8-4)                 W 28-03       QB Allen 18-24 237 yds 4 total tds     2-2 (1-0)
vs Vanderbilt (6-6)          W 42-17       RB Tompkins 302 all-purpose yds 3 tds  3-2 (2-0)
at Auburn (7-5)              W 48-16       RB Tompkins 283 all-purpose yds 2 tds  4-2 (3-0)  
at Kentucky (3-9)            W 42-07       WR McIntyre 8 rec 146 yds 2 tds        5-2 (4-0)
at Tennessee (6-6)           W 33-32       RB Powers 10 car 129 yds 1 td          6-2 (5-0)
vs #6 Alabama (11-1)         W 27-24       RB Powers 19 car 152 yds 2 tds         7-2 (6-0)
at Arkansas (7-5)            W 41-24       RB Tompkins 252 all-purpose yds 3 tds  8-2 (7-0)
vs Ole Miss (6-6)            W 42-38       RB Powers 26 car 267 yds 2 tds         9-2 (8-0)
at #24 Southern Miss (10-2)  L 33-42       QB Clemons 8 car 94 yds 3 total tds    9-3 (8-0)
vs #2 Florida (13-0)         L 17-36       RB Tompkins 307 all-purpose yds 2 tds  9-4 (8-1)
[/SIZE]

Photo Gallery

Tulane WR Joey Coleman and his teammates run onto the field with an impressive fireworks display as a backdrop.




Florida QB Joey Holmes fumbled at the end of this 47-yard opening possession scramble to start the game, but it would pretty much be his only mistake of the night.




Florida DE Phil Horne's jarring hit separated RB Tony Tompkins from the ball, forcing an incomplete pass and setting the tone for the evening.




Gators DT Jared Wayne collected one of five Florida sacks on Saturday.




Tulane QB Obi Clemons' ill-advised throw across his body to WR Jason Mason resulted in an interception by Florida star LB Dedrick Haumiller.




DE Phil Horne was unblockable for Green Wave true freshman RT Kyle Gray (#70) as Horne finished with 3 sacks on the night.




Florida WR Matt Kelley, a Heisman finalist eludes Wave defender on this 44-yard second half reception. Kelly finished the contest with 8 receptions for 123 yards.




Tulane sophomore RB Tony Tompkins was the lone bright spot for the Green Wave on Saturday, but his fourth kickoff return touchdown this season was too little too late.




Gators SS C.J. Mason caught two interceptions, both coming on desperation third down 4th quarter heaves to TE Ronnie Parsons.




QB Joey Holmes and his dorm roommate, LT Eric Ray, celebrate in the closing seconds knowing their team will be playing for a national championship in a few weeks.

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