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The Big 12's nightmare comes to an end, playoff spot set

The Tulane Green Wave had every opportunity in the world to potentially play spoiler to the Big 12 and backdoor their way into the College Football Playoff.

By Andrew Boardwine

Nov 28, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave wide receiver Shazz Preston (6) scores a touchdown against Memphis Tigers defensive back Davion Ross (1) during the fourth quarter at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Nov 28, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave wide receiver Shazz Preston (6) scores a touchdown against Memphis Tigers defensive back Davion Ross (1) during the fourth quarter at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
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The Tulane Green Wave had every opportunity in the world to potentially play spoiler to the Big 12 and backdoor their way into the College Football Playoff, until they didn't.

Tulane came into their Thursday night matchup against Memphis with high hopes, sitting at No. 17 and quietly making a case to crash the College Football Playoff. But in a shocking turn, the Green Wave’s 34-24 loss at home not only derailed their own playoff ambitions but also significantly impacted the broader postseason picture.

For fans of the Big 12,, this result felt like a sigh of relief.

Before Thursday, Tulane was shaping up as a legitimate threat to claim one of the coveted playoff spots, potentially pushing a Big 12 champion out of the mix. With their undefeated AAC run, they were poised to become a bid thief—an unwelcome scenario for Power Five conferences.

The loss to Memphis, however, erased that possibility, effectively guaranteeing the Big 12 a playoff representative, barring some unforeseen chaos in their championship race. Now, we'll have to wait and see what happens with the Big 12 this weekend as nine teams still have the opportunity to get to Arlington, including four teams that sit in a tie for first place in Arizona State, Iowa State, BYU, and Colorado.

For Boise State and the Mountain West Conference, Memphis’s upset carried its own set of implications. Tulane’s drop from the rankings means that the winner of the Mountain West Championship, likely between Boise State and UNLV, is now positioned to secure the highest-ranked Group of Five spot in the expanded playoff field.

As for Tulane, the pressure of carrying postseason hopes for both their program and their conference may have been too much to bear. They’ve already locked in a spot in the AAC Championship Game, but this stumble will sting as a missed opportunity to elevate the conference on the national stage. Meanwhile, for fans of the Big 12, the Green Wave’s misstep solidifies their confidence in seeing their champion enter the playoff picture.

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