Reshad Sterling and Kameron Hamilton split the late sack that forced South Alabama to punt. Kadin Semonza then finished the winning possession with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Destyn Hill, giving Tulane a 28-24 victory. The defense returned the ball when the offense needed it most. Too often earlier, it couldn't. South Alabama gained 478 yards and converted 10 of 16 third downs.
That is the matchup to watch Saturday at Kansas State, with kickoff at 11 a.m. Central on ESPN2. The Wildcats have converted 19 of 27 third downs through two games. Tulane cannot keep giving an opponent fresh sets of downs and expect its offense to supply another rescue.
Fan Watch gives the Green Wave a 21% chance to win. An upset would put Tulane's modeled playoff chances at 2.3%; a loss would leave them at 0.8%. There is real upside here, even with a long national climb remaining. Follow Tulane's playoff outlook in the interactive guide, with the calculations explained in the methodology.
Semonza gave Tulane something worth getting back onto the field. In his first Green Wave start, he completed 14 of 22 passes for 212 yards without an interception. Jaylin Lucas supplied 214 rushing yards on just 11 carries, including an 80-yard touchdown, while Johnnie Daniels scored twice from short range. Tulane had both a passer who finished the game and a back who could change it in one carry.
Tulane promoted Will Hall from passing-game coordinator and receivers coach after its CFP season, asking a familiar coach to sustain that standard. Against South Alabama, Tulane cut its penalties to four for 30 yards after the trouble in the opener that Hall said he expected to correct. Hall also credited the offensive line, tight ends and Daniels for the blocking that freed Lucas. Watch whether those supporting blockers can keep creating room; Lucas shouldn't have to manufacture every opening himself.
Kansas State has allowed no offensive touchdown through two games and held opponents to 6 of 28 on third down. Against that defense, Tulane needs enough possessions to withstand some unsuccessful ones. Sustaining the cleaner execution matters, but so does giving Semonza another series after a punt.
The linebacker question complicates that task. Chris Rodgers left South Alabama's opening drive with an apparent lower-leg injury and later wore a boot on his left foot. Hall's postgame comments left the seriousness undetermined, so that report supplies no return timetable. If Rodgers cannot play, Tulane's other linebackers will have to cover his work. Dickson Agu made 14 tackles against South Alabama after a knee injury limited him to five games in 2025. His production is encouraging; the unit still needs tackles that end possessions.
Tulane's 2022 win in Manhattan offers a specific memory for this week. Kansas State went 2 of 15 on third down and 1 of 5 on fourth down. Those are the downs to lean into again. Force the punt, get Lucas another carry, give Semonza another series. Tulane's defense can make the offensive recovery matter by putting the offense back on the field.