Could Tulane crash the College Football Playoff?

Tulane stunned the college football world last season and the Green Wave could make a bigger splash in 2023.

We're talking College Football Playoff-crashing big.

Coming off a 12-2 season which culminated in a thrilling 46-45 Cotton Bowl victory over Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and USC, Tulane has a legitimate path to a top-four finish in the final College Football Playoff poll if it runs the table.

An early game against Associated Press preseason No. 22 Ole Miss will determine whether No. 24 Tulane will have a case for inclusion at the end of the season.

If the Green Wave takes care of business, all they'll need is the Power Five conferences to eat each other alive, which happened in 2021 to give Cincinnati a chance in the Playoff.

That game against the Rebels will answer the question of whether Tulane has a chance to qualify for the CFP quickly, but a home date against conference newcomer UTSA at the end of the regular season looms large as a major hurdle. 

After that, a potential conference championship against SMU — ESPN Football Power Index's favorite to win the AAC — serves as another quality opponent.

Quarterback Michael Pratt will be key to the Green Wave eclipsing last year's Cotton Bowl win. He was outstanding last year and has improved in his three seasons at Tulane. Pratt's completion percentage, yards per attempt and touchdown passes have gone up every year since 2020. 

Last year, Pratt was 215-of-338 (63.6 percent) for 3,010 yards (8.9 yards per attempt), 27 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also scored 10 rushing touchdowns and gained 478 yards on 129 carries.

He'll shoulder a lot of responsibility for Tulane's offense, even more than last year. Running back Tyjae Spears led the team with 1,837 scrimmage yards and 21 touchdowns last season and was drafted by the Titans in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Sophomore Shaadie Clayton-Johnson is expected to slide into the starting running back role and while it will be hard to duplicate Spears' phenomenal 2022, Clayton-Johnson shouldn't have to.

The receiving unit is led by versatile fifth-year senior Jha'Quan Jackson, who had 1,003 all-purpose yards in 2021 and was third on the team in receiving in 2022. He finished last season with 33 receptions, 554 yards (16.8 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. Jackson added a punt return for a touchdown as well, 

With Pratt's progression each season and established playmakers such as Jackson and Lawrence Keys III, fourth on the team in receptions (30) last season, the passing attack should be even more impressive.

On defense, linemen Darius Hodges, who tied for the team-high in sacks last year (five), and Patrick Jenkins, who had a team-high nine tackles for loss in 2022, return, as do defensive backs Jarius Monroe and Lance Robinson. They combined for 13 pass deflections last season with Monroe leading the team in interceptions (three.)

The expanded playoff in 2024 will make it easier for mid-major programs to reach the postseason, thanks to automatic berths given to the top six conference champions (for now.)

But Tulane has a legitimate path to the CFP this season, thanks to its scheduled game against an SEC opponent and a weak AAC.

It might not be the likeliest outcome of the college football season, but after last year, nothing the Green Wave does should shock us.