Keys to Victory: Tulane vs Charlotte

Originally posted on Tulane Green Wave on SI
By Doug Joubert | Last updated Oct 30, 2026 11:07 AM ET

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Tulane 2026 Football Schedule

Opponent	Time/Date	Result	Score	Record
at Duke	2:30PM, 9/5	L	17-3	0-1
Sou Alabama	6PM, 9/12	W	28-24	1-1
@ K-State	11AM, 9/19	L	31-20	1-2
Sou Miss	6PM, 9/26	W	24-21	2-2
OPEN	10/3	--	--	--
@ Army	11AM, 10/10	L	20-17	2-3 (0-1)
Memphis	6:30PM, 10/16	W	31-17	3-3 (1-1)
UTSA	TBD, 10/24	L	42-19	3-4 (1-2)
@ Charlotte	6PM, 10/30
Tulsa	11AM, 11/7
@ Rice	TBD, 11/14
Nor Texas	TBD, 11/21
@ Sou Fla	TBD, 11/27

Tonight, the Tulane football team is in North Carolina to see who can wiggle their way into the middle of the pack in the American Conference, as the Green Wave take on the Charlotte 49ers. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT and will be telecast on ESPN2. The radio broadcast has been moved to the left on the radio dial for tonight, from its usual home, The Ticket, to Alt 92.3 FM. Pregame begins at 5:00 p.m. on the Tulane Sports Network.

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The Wave come in 3-4 on the year, 1-2 in American Conference games. Charlotte is fresh off its first league victory in almost two years, defeating Temple in Pennsylvania. The 49ers are 1-6 on the season, while also standing 1-2 in American play.

Keys to a Tulane Victory

Throw the Ball

Yeah, we know. That's the exact opposite of what we have been preaching for weeks now. Here is our reasoning.

This is a banged up Tulane front five. They have had issues making holes for Wave runners. They have not (for the most part) had difficulty protecting their quarterback. In fact, except for parts of the UTSA game, Trace Johnson has gone unscathed and had time to find receivers. This is the week to let the pass set up the run.

The Charlotte defense is giving up over 465-yards per game, 278 of which is via the air. Time to throw the ball. A lot.

Throw the ball on first down, second down, third down, fourth down, heck throw it every time, if you have to. Then run the ball.

Stop the 49ers on 3rd Down

Though this defense has forced nine turnovers in the last two games, pretty impressive, it still has a problem stopping their opponents on 3rd down. This squad has allowed 7.6-third down conversions per game, the worst in the FCS.

The key is stopping the rushing game. Charlotte's run game isn't what you'd call stellar, 111-yards per contest, but this would be the time to make a statement. Stop the 49er run game and let the secondary do its job: take away the ball.

Don't Rely on the Kicking Game

This Tulane kicking game hasn't missed a beat after the departure of last year's stars to Florida. Cooper Helmke, William Hudlow , and Jason Arredondo have been almost flawless. If you're going to have a beatdown on an opponent, the kicking game needs to be in the background, not the forefront.

If Hudlow is punting five or six times or if Helmke is attempting field goals instead of the Wave scoring touchdowns, this game will be closer than it should be, and that is not good news on the road against a team that is desperate for a home victory.

This article first appeared on Tulane Green Wave on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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