Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, September 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET
- Network: ESPN2
- Location: Yulman Stadium — New Orleans, LA
- Spread: Tulane (-1.5)
- Over/under: 51.5
- All-time series: Duke leads, 3-2
- Last meeting: Duke 37, Tulane 7 — September 3, 2015
- Current streak: Duke, 3 (2011-15)
Setting the scene
The “revenge game” is a more modern concept in college football. With the rise of the transfer portal, there is an exponential increase in instances of star players suiting up against their former programs. As much as both teams try to avoid the distraction of it all, Darian Mensah’s return to his former stadium will be the top storyline when Tulane and Duke clash Saturday night.
Mensah led the Green Wave to nine wins and an American Conference Championship appearance in 2024, but less than a week
after the game, the quarterback transferred to Duke, receiving an NIL deal valued at approximately $8 million over two years. Coincidentally, Duke was already etched into the Green Wave’s 2025 schedule, meaning Mensah will suit up at Yulman Stadium for his seventh star — this time in a darker shade blue and absent of green.
It’s ACC vs. American under the Saturday night lights in the Big Easy for the first meeting between these private institutions in a decade.
Duke Blue Devils outlook
Duke (1-1, 0-0 ACC) rolled past its Week 1 FCS opponent Elon after a 35-7 second half, but the Blue Devils didn’t see the same second half surge in Durham last Saturday. Facing a ranked Illinois team, Duke entered the break trailing 14-13 at home. But in the second half, Illinois forced three turnovers and a turnover on downs while scoring on every drive until victory formation. A 31-6 margin in the final 30 minutes of action handed Duke a 45-19 defeat, dropping the Blue Devils to .500.
The Blue Devils’ next test won’t be easy as slight underdogs in what should be an electric Yulman Stadium environment. But if there’s somebody who knows how to handle that setting, it’s Darian Mensah. The Tulane transfer logged three 300+ yard 2+ touchdown outings in six home games a year ago and completed over 63 percent of passes in five of those contests at Yulman. Five giveaways deterred Duke’s upset bid in Week 2, but turnovers aside, Mensah moved the offense fairly well. He shredded the Illinois secondary with 334 passing yards and two touchdowns. The sample size is diminutive, but he ranks second in the FBS in passing yards per game at 361.5, showing Duke’s willingness to sling it.
Under second-year offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer, Duke runs an up-tempo, spread offense that utilizes a lot of four or five wide receiver sets. Four different wide receivers secured 40+ receptions in 2024 and the same is bound to happen in 2025. Sean Brown (incumbent), Shamir Hagans (incumbent), Cooper Barkate (FCS Harvard transfer), and Andrel Anthony (Oklahoma transfer) all range between seven and nine catches thus far, spanning from Hagans’ 87 yards to Barkate’s 205. There are plentiful options for Mensah in a passing game which relies heavily on the wide receivers and less so on the running backs and tight ends.
Duke picks up nearly five yards per carry in the run game, but the Blue Devils are a more air-oriented team. Appalachian State transfer Anderson Castle, longtime Duke mainstay Jaquez Moore, and true freshman Nate Sheppard should continue to split carries in a committee approach, as exhibited in the first two weeks.
During Duke’s last three seasons, which all featured 8-9 wins, defense was the defining factor in success. But the unit isn’t off to its strongest start after yielding 45 points to Illinois (after only allowing more than 28 twice last season). Sure, the unit was placed in compromised positions often since the offense lost the turnover battle 5-0, but Duke needs to create enough havoc to return the favor. The Blue Devils haven’t forced a single takeaway all year. However, the pressure is there. Nobody in the country holds more sacks to his name than defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr., who has 4.0 on the young season.
Duke is invading backfields, tied for 11th in the FBS in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss. Linebackers Nick Morris Jr., Kendall Johnson, and Tre Freeman have all stepped up to contribute to that department. But what happens when Duke isn’t reaching the quarterback is the concern. Illinois fired for an efficient 296 yards and three touchdowns a week ago, and the Blue Devils must shore up their passing defense. Returning First Team All-ACC cornerback Chandler Rivers is the name to watch in this unit, hoping to build on his ballhawk reputation and secure Duke’s first turnover of the year while taking Tulane’s passing game out of this competition.
Tulane Green Wave outlook
Tulane (2-0, 0-0 American) is 2-0 for the first time since that magical 2022 campaign, and it’s not the easiest non-conference slate for the Green Wave. There are no FCS opponents, but Jon Sumrall’s team already cleared Northwestern at home and South Alabama on the road with Duke and Ole Miss looming on the schedule. The Duke game is definitely circled on the Green Wave players’ calendars, as many of them called Darian Mensah a teammate a year ago — providing extra emotions in Saturday night’s spectacle.
Last time in New Orleans, Tulane was throttling Northwestern through a 5-0 turnover advantage, consistently stifling the Wildcat offense en route to a 23-3 victory. But the Green Wave’s follow-up act at South Alabama wasn’t as simple. Tulane played an excellent middle 46 minutes in Mobile, outscoring the Jaguars 33-3. But factoring in the first seven minutes and last seven minutes of action, the Green Wave were outscored 28-0 and were a two-point conversion away from facing overtime.
South Alabama demonstrated a degree of explosiveness through the pass game which kept the Jaguars competitive. Tulane surrendered 231 passing yards on 9.6 yards per attempt, letting Devin Voisin dominate with 152 yards and two touchdowns. The Green Wave face an even more explosive passing attack this week and cannot let their defensive lapses resurface against a quarterback familiar with Greg Gasparato and the defensive play-calling.
Tulane won the turnover battle 2-1 in Week 2, increasing its advantage to 7-1 on the season. This hasn’t been a fluke since Gasparato arrived on campus. Tulane was a frequent takeaway generator in 2024 and led the country in defensive touchdowns. There was significant turnover on the defense, but some incumbent reserves have stepped up to continue that trend. Javion White has two interceptions on the year while Jahiem Johnson has one pick and four pass breakups — two key components of a secondary that flies to the ball and isn’t afraid to take risks.
The Green Wave, particularly against Northwestern, displayed a remarkable ability to land tackles at first contact. Outside linebacker Dickson Agu and free safety Jack Tchienchou have been among Tulane’s top hitters this year, both picking up 16 tackles through two outings. While the tackling is true, the Green Wave must pressure opposing offensive lines in more aggressive fashion. Tulane only managed one sack and three tackles for loss at South Alabama, and the new transfers on the d-line, Santana Hopper and Mo Westmoreland, will be in charge of cranking up the pressure dial.
Offensively, Tulane is establishing itself as a potent run game, checking in at 18th in the country with 255 yards per game. That comes as no surprise considering the Green Wave ride a 3-year streak of producing one of the FBS’s top 10 rushers, but the manner in which the yards are produced is different. There is no bellcow running back. Zuberi Mobley and Javin Gordon both exceeded 80 yards last week while starter Maurice Turner (who remains questionable) sat out with an ankle injury. Additionally, Jake Retzlaff provides Tulane quarterback mobility it hasn’t seen in the 2020s decade. The BYU transfer ranks first on the team with 177 rushing yards and two touchdowns, averaging 7.7 yards per carry with the capability of breaking out a big one.
Tulane still wants more out of Retzlaff as a passer though. He accrued 152 and 125 yards passing in his first two games with the Green Wave. There hasn’t been too much explosiveness or verticality injected in the aerial offense, as he averages 5.0 yards per attempt with a 56.4 completion percentage. His rushing presents a threat, but Tulane may utilize backup Brendan Sullivan (3-of-3, 40 yards vs. South Alabama) to spark the passing attack if it gets in a funk.
Prediction
This matchup should lean on the higher-scoring side. Duke’s passing offense has unfolded in promising fashion under Darian Mensah, and he has a bevy of weapons to move the ball downfield. As long as the Blue Devils can cut on turnovers, this group should be good for 30 points against most opponents. Tulane’s defense is known to force takeaways but 5-0ing another opponent in the turnover battle won’t be an easy task — especially one week after Duke got 5-0’d by Illinois. South Alabama saw some aerial success against Tulane, and Duke should be capable of doing the same.
Tulane’s run game — which should feature several major contributors — will inflict plenty of damage to Duke, adding to the points party at Yulman Stadium. The electricity of the environment in New Orleans should also play into the home team’s advantage, but just like last season, Mensah’s combination of efficiency and explosiveness will prove to be the x-factor, making Duke’s passing game the decider.
Prediction: Duke 35, Tulane 31
