Tulane secures a home title tilt amid Sumrall uncertainty with a 27-0 victory over Charlotte

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jake Retzlaff ran for two short scores, setting a Tulane single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, and the Green Wave clinched a tie for first place in the American Conference with a 27-0 victory over struggling Charlotte on Saturday night.

The victory also ensured Tulane (10-2, 7-1, CFP No. 24) would host the American title game next week. The league uses the College Football Playoff rankings as a tiebreaker in the standings, and Tulane was the conference’s only team with such a ranking.

“We had over 50% of the roster change,” Sumrall noted, referring in part to numerous key starters who transferred elsewhere, including starting QB Darian Mensah (to Duke). “To be able to get that many new guys to connect, care about each other, believe in everything that we’re asking them to do and continue to find ways to win and fight through adversity, that’s special.”

Tulane will host North Texas, which along with Navy finished the regular season in a three-way tie with Tulane atop the American. North Texas beat Navy this season.

Tulane’s victory came as uncertainty swirled around second-year coach Jon Sumrall, who has drawn interest from Florida and Auburn, and also was seen as a potential Ole Miss candidate if Rebels coach Lane Kiffin departs for another school.

“I want tonight to be about this team,” Sumrall said. “Tomorrow morning I will wake up and there’s some things that are presented that I’ll have to discuss and make a decision on.”

Sumrall has gone 19-6 since taking over for current Houston coach Willie Fritz in 2024. He has coached the Wave to two straight conference title games. Tulane lost to Army in last season’s league championship game.

“I want to coach this thing out no matter what comes next,” Sumrall said, referring to next week’s title game. “We’re playing for a championship. … This place has given me and my family a lot.”

Tulane outgained Charlotte (1-11, 0-8) 274-72 in the first half and scored three touchdowns on 1-yard runs, the first by Javin Gordon and the next two by Retzlaff, giving the Green Wave QB 13 TDs rushing this season.

“When you have a quarterback that’s mobile, that can throw the ball down the field, that can run the ball, it’s harder on the defense,” said receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens, who caught nine passes for 98 yards. “We’re blessed to have a quarterback like Jake.”

Retzlaff passed for 291 yards but was intercepted twice, the first time in the Charlotte end zone by Kadin Schmitz on first-and-goal from the 2.

“Offensively we moved the ball. We controlled most of the game. We turned it over too much,” Sumrall said. “That was frustrating.”

Patrick Durkin’s fourth-quarter field goals of 36 and 52 yards capped the scoring while Tulane’s defense closed out its first shutout this season.

“Our defense played really sound,” Sumrall said. “Any time you (get a shutout), that’s special. That’s really, really hard to do in college football.”

The takeaway

Charlotte: The defense caused three turnovers — and that might have mattered if Charlotte’s offense didn’t struggle as much as it did. Both Charlotte QBs threw interceptions and the 49ers were held to minus-3 yards rushing.

“It’s kind of like a broken record; offensively we could not help our defense, could not get any running game going at all,” first-year Charlotte coach Tim Albin said “It’s tough to play quarterback when it’s that environment.”

Tulane: Favored by more than four touchdowns, the Green Wave looked complacent after building an early 14-0 lead. Tulane turned the ball over twice in the second quarter, the first time on Retzlaff’s interception and the second when Jamauri McClure fumbled. Charlotte’s Thai Baldwin scooped the fumble and returned it to the Tulane 12 before Retzlaff made his second tackle of the game after a turnover. But Charlotte’s scoring threat fizzled when Liam Boyd missed a 25-yard field goal.

“We’ve got to get better this week or we won’t win next week because we’re going to play is dynamic and they’re a real problem.” Sumrall said.

Up next

Charlotte: The 49ers begin their offseason, during which Albin will have much to re-evaluate after going winless against Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The 49ers’ lone victory came against Monmouth of the Football Championship Subdivision.

Tulane: Plays in its fourth straight American Conference championship game — the third in four years at home — on Friday night. Tulane is 1-2 in its previous three league title games.

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