North Texas faces Tulane tonight in the American Conference Championship with a historic first conference title and likely College Football Playoff spot on the line. The Mean Green bring an unstoppable offense averaging 46.8 points per game, while Tulane looks to reclaim this crown from Yulman Stadium in New Orleans. Both coaches are coaching their final games before departing for new jobs.
🔥 Quick Facts
- North Texas (11-1) favored by 2.5 points against Tulane (10-2)
- Winner advances to the College Football Playoff as Group of Five automatic bid
- Drew Mestemaker leads nation in passing yards with 3,835 for North Texas
- Game airs on ABC at 8 p.m. ET from New Orleans with over/under set at 66.5 points
Explosive Offenses Clash for Historic Trophy
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North Texas enters this championship game with the nation’s best-scoring offense leading college football. Redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker has thrown 29 touchdown passes against just 4 interceptions while completing 70.9 percent of his passes. True freshman running back Caleb Hawkins has been remarkable, scoring 16 touchdowns in the Mean Green’s past four games alone.
Tulane counters with quarterback Jake Retzlaff, a senior transfer from BYU who set the single-season school record for quarterback rushing touchdowns with 14 while adding 14 scoring passes. The Green Wave made it back to this stage after losing the past two championship games, including a 35-14 defeat to Army last season that still haunts them.
Coaching Changes Frame Final Game
| Coach | Team | New Position |
| Eric Morris | North Texas | Oklahoma State (hired Nov. 25) |
| Jon Sumrall | Tulane | Florida (hired Nov. 30) |
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Both coaches remain with their teams tonight, unlike Lane Kiffin who was prohibited from coaching Ole Miss in postseason play after accepting the LSU position. Morris and Sumrall are friends who’ve confided in each other about the difficulty of their respective transitions while preparing for this historic game.
“The opportunity to finish this with our guys was really important,” said Sumrall, who built Tulane from a program that hadn’t reached consecutive bowl games to a perennial championship contender. For Tulane linebacker Sam Howard, having Sumrall finish the season was essential: “He loves us. We love him. And we won’t have it no other way.”
Ground Game Evolution for Mean Green
North Texas has evolved dramatically in recent weeks by leaning on the running game. In the Mean Green’s past six games, the team has averaged 203.2 rushing yards per game, a shift that surprised even Coach Morris. The “Air Raid” successor scheme he learned at Texas Tech under legendary late coach Mike Leach now features consistent rushing attacks.
“It’s allowed me as a play-caller to call more runs than I ever have in my career,” Morris explained. This balance gives the Mean Green multiple ways to attack defenses that have struggled against their speed and efficiency. When Caleb Hawkins is running effectively, opposing defenses must respect the North Texas ground attack.
Tulane Hosting Fourth Straight Championship Game
Tulane has made four consecutive American Conference Championship appearances, hosting three of them. The Green Wave won the 2022 championship in this game’s inaugural season but have dropped their past two conference title matchups. That 35-14 loss to Army at West Point last season left what Howard called a “sick feeling that has motivated us ever since.”
The Green Wave possess championship experience but also championship hunger after those recent defeats. Playing at home in New Orleans provides an advantage, though rain is expected throughout the evening at Yulman Stadium. Sumrall is actually hoping for a “monsoon,” believing wet conditions favor his team’s style, while Morris joked about requesting an indoor venue.
Can North Texas Secure Historic First American Title?
North Texas has never won a conference championship in the American Athletic Conference, making tonight’s game monumental for program history. At 11-1, the Mean Green have built something special with first-year starters at quarterback and running back leading one of the nation’s most explosive offenses. Meanwhile, Tulane’s 10-2 record comes despite injuries and the coaching transition that’s dominated their final weeks.
The winner advances to the 12-team College Football Playoff as the Group of Five automatic bid, virtually guaranteeing either school gets a postseason berth. Both teams have legitimate playoff hopes, but only one leaves New Orleans with the American Conference Trophy and historic momentum heading into January.
Sources
- CBS Sports – Official odds, predictions, and college football analysis
- USA Today – Live updates and game coverage details
- AP News – Preview coverage and coaching situation reporting
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