The biggest winner from college football's chaotic Week 13 slate did not even play

At 9-2 and undefeated in conference play, you could say the Tulane Green Wave will be a team worth monitoring for the rest of the regular season. The Greenies sat back and watched the college football world lose its collective mind in the weekend that was Week 13. Tulane went from being No. 20 up to No. 18 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. A win over Memphis this weekend may set them up for the playoff.

Tulane saw teams like Army, BYU, Colorado and Texas A&M all fall behind them in the rankings. Yes, teams like Arizona State and Iowa State leapfrogged them, but keep in mind that only one team is going to be coming out of the Big 12 this year, and that would be the league's champion. In essence, a win over Memphis this week and a win over Army in the AAC Championship has Tulane on the brink.

At 11-2 overall and 8-0 in AAC play with a league title, you would have to wonder if that could be enough to get the Greenies into the College Football Playoff. They would probably need Boise State to lose to UNLV in the Mountain West Championship. Keep in mind that Tulane is currently ranked ahead of the Rebels, who are slotted three spots behind them at No. 21 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll.

ESPN's Football Power Index is giving Tulane a 25-percent chance of making the playoff right now.

Tulane is more of a College Football Playoff threat than you even realize

While the Green Wave's two losses on the season are not great, Oklahoma is now a bowl team and Kansas State has been in the playoff discussion up until very recently. Keep in mind that Tulane was being tasked with punching up at Big 12 and SEC competition, while competing in the Group of Five with a new head coach. Jon Sumrall is the best head coach in college football you don't know about.

The fact Tulane owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Sun Belt favorite Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns gives them yet another leg up on potentially getting to the playoff. In short, if Boise State were to lose one of its final two games to either Oregon State or presumably UNLV in the Mountain West Championship, Tulane might have the most compelling Group of Five resume to get into the playoff.

The Greenies would have wins over Army, Louisiana and Navy, among others. While they have beat up on the dreck of the AAC, going undefeated in conference play is a huge accomplishment for any program at any level. I think as long as Tulane is ranked close to the top 16 heading into conference championship weekend. the Green Wave will have a serious shot at making it into the playoff.

Tulane not only won the Group of Five recently, but beat USC in the Cotton Bowl two seasons ago.