3. Tulane Green Wave could win Group of Five with great quarterback play
While the Tulane Green Wave made an unbelievable hire in getting Jon Sumrall to leave Troy after Willie Fritz left New Orleans to take over at Houston, we still have to wonder what the Greenies are going to do at quarterback. The thought is that long-time Tulane starter Michael Pratt is either going to enter the 2024 NFL Draft, or try his luck at the Power Five level, meaning he will be leaving Tulane.
Although it remains to be seen what Sumrall can do at a more high-profile job in The American, he did win prolifically in the Sun Belt at Troy. That may be one of the best programs in its respective league, but so too is the Sun Belt as a Group of Five league. They call it the Fun Belt for a reason! Regardless, I think Thompson linking up with Sumrall to replace both Fritz and Pratt could yield something special.
Of the 10 or so teams that could win the Group of Five next year and be the No. 12 seed in the expanded College Football Playoff, you have to still like the Greenies' chances of doing so, given what they have been as a program last few years under Fritz and what they could sustain and become under Sumrall. If I had to go down a level in the Group of Five, I would absolutely go play for Sumrall.
Geography may not be in Thompson's favor, but Tulane looks like a team to stay in the Group of Five.