Tulane appeared destined to fall into the service academy trap. In the previous 10 years, there was nothing more dangerous than an American Conference contender running into an option-based service academy.
2015 Memphis, 2016 Houston, 2022 UCF, and 2024 Memphis were all ranked or high-profile teams that watched American title hopes dissipate thanks to losses to Navy.
The Green Wave found themselves in similar territory. They trailed Army 17-10 at the 2-minute timeout, staring down a critical 4th and 8 from the 12-yard line. Despite the urgency of the situation, quarterback Jake Retzlaff stayed poised. He led Tulane on a game-winning drive last Thursday night in the same venue of Yulman Stadium to outlast East Carolina, so this wasn’t his first time with the fate of his team on his shoulders. Retzlaff dropped back, surveyed his options, and then delivered a dart to an open Bryce Bohanon in the middle of the end zone for an uncontested tying touchdown.
But Tulane wasn’t content with sending the game into overtime. The Green Wave wanted more. They forced an Army three-and-out and expended all three timeouts in the process, reclaiming the ball at their own 25 with 1:37 to go — 17 seconds after Bohanon’s touchdown. Retzlaff went straight to work with a slew of first down pickups through the air and with his legs.
Upon navigating to the Army 26, Retzlaff fired a risky ball toward the sideline in double coverage, and it was ricocheted high into the air off the arm of Army cornerback Jabril Williams. Tulane wide receiver Shazz Preston then chased the deflected ball like a centerfielder heading toward the wall. He couldn’t cleanly corral it, but he bobbled the ball back into the air and chased it further toward the back of the end zone. This time, Preston secured the pigskin two-handed with two feet in the light blue paint, scoring an unbelievable tip-drill touchdown with 27 seconds remaining. When Army’s last-ditch Hail Mary attempt struck the ground 27 seconds later, Tulane breathed a sign of relief, circumventing a trap game with a 24-17 survival of Army.
Tulane exacted revenge on the Black Knights from the 2024 American Conference Championship Game. Last December, Army posted 335 rushing yards on the Green Wave defense in a 35-14 domination, but in the rematch, Tulane presented a much greater counter against the run, stuffing Army to 233 yards on a 3.7 average. Army quarterback Cale Hellums shined with 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns, but the Army running backs and slot backs couldn’t establish a reliable ground game. Not a single Black Knight broke free for an explosive pickup either, as Hellums’ 16-yard scamper in the fourth quarter stood as Army’s best run all day.
As expected, possessions were scare in the game, inflating the value of every touchdown. Army opened the game with a signature Army drive, consuming 11:44 of clock in an 18-play, 48-yard sequence. It ended in a missed field goal, but Tulane essentially replicated that drive in the other direction. The Green Wave’s 11-play, 66-yard opening series resulted in a traveled all the way to the Army 7-yard line. However, backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan finished the series as Retzlaff briefly exited the game due to injury. Sullivan’s first play was a 4th and 2, but Tulane came up empty-handed as Army inside linebacker Kalib Fortner stuffed the mobile Iowa transfer quarterback inches short of the sticks.
After trading second quarter field goals, Army struck the first true blood in the third quarter on another on-brand drive — this one taking 13 plays to move 80 yards. Hellums provided the Black Knights their first lead on a 1-yard rushing touchdown, but Tulane responded with a contrasting warp-speed drive. Retzlaff finally propelled his team into the end zone on a delayed 37-yard QB draw, where he flew untouched for his eighth rushing touchdown of 2025.
Hellums obtained his second 1-yard rushing score with 5:54 remaining, but Army never recorded a stop thereafter. Tulane produced crunch time heroics by generating two touchdowns in two minutes to claim the victory.
Army (3-4, 2-3 American) already doubled its loss total from 2024’s magical run. The Black Knights have an extreme uphill battle to defend their conference title after Tulane snapped their 2-game win streak Saturday. Tulane’s late touchdown prevented Army from a third overtime appearance in 2025, and the Black Knights look to rebound from the gut-wrenching loss on Nov. 1 at Air Force.
Tulane (6-1, 3-0 American) clinched bowl eligibility for the fourth-straight season. Another feat the Green Wave aim to accomplish for the fourth-straight year involves qualifying for the American Conference Championship. They’re off to a fantastic start with a perfect conference record, and they’ve won 25 of their last 27 regular season American matchups. Next on the docket is UTSA on Thursday, Oct. 30 immediately after another bye week.
