Tulane suits up for first major bowl game in 83 years

Ahead of the 87th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Goodyear continues its tradition of creating... — Ahead of the 87th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Goodyear continues its tradition of creating life-size tire sculptures of the participating teams’ mascots. Made from over 300 Goodyear tires collectively, this year’s tire sculptures feature University of Southern California’s Tommy the Trojan and Tulane University’s Green Wave. The sculptures celebrate the drive and outstanding performance of each team to get to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. (Brandon Wade/AP Images for Goodyear)(PRNewswire)

Published: Jan. 2, 2023 at 11:19 AM CST

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The Tulane Green Wave will play in their first major bowl game in 83 years Monday (Jan. 2) when they suit up against the USC Trojans.

The Wave are heading into the Cotton Bowl as AAC champs with an 11-2 record. Tulane has already tied an FBS record for biggest turnaround, coming off of a 2-10 record last season.

Tulane safety Macon Clark, center, celebrates the team's victory over Central Florida in the... — Tulane safety Macon Clark, center, celebrates the team's victory over Central Florida in the American Athletic Conference championship game Saturday (Dec. 3) at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)(MATTHEW HINTON | AP)

“It feels amazing. Obviously having the whole community really fired up. Putting Tulane back on the map where they once were at one point. Having the community and the fans out here, I know they’re traveling. Everybody I’ve talked to around here is going to the game. So that’s something that is really exciting,” said quarterback Michael Pratt.

Over the Trojans’ last seven games, only one-win Colorado didn’t throw for at least 300 yards and multiple touchdowns against them. Pratt has thrown for 2,755 yards and 25 touchdowns with five interceptions, and has been picked off only twice the past eight games.

Tulane running back Tyjae Spears has an FBS-best streak of seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games. He has run for 1,376 yards and 15 touchdowns, including 199 yards with a 60-yard TD in the American Athletic Conference championship game. Tulane has 5,640 total yards this season, 202 shy of the single-season school record set in 2019.

USC, with first-year coach Lincoln Riley, is going for its first 12-win season since 2008. The Trojans have only lost to one team — twice to Utah, in mid-October and then again in the Pac-12 championship game.

The only time the Green Wave won 12 games was during a perfect 12-0 season in 1998. Tulane had the longest losing record against Top 25 teams — 61 in a row since 1984 — before wins over then-ranked Cincinnati and UCF in its last two games.

The last time Tulane played in a major bowl game was 83 years ago in the Sugar Bowl. In that game, the Wave lost to Texas A&M.

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