Tulane Green Wave @ Kansas State Wildcats Game Preview

Patrick Harkness • September 17, 2026

Saturday, September 19, 2026

11:00 a.m. CT

Bill Snyder Family Stadium

ESPN2

Last time the Wave walked into Manhattan they left with a 17-10 win in 2022.

K-State got the 34-27 answer in New Orleans in 2024. This one closes the three-game series.

Tulane is 1-1 after the Duke punch and a 28-24 home comeback vs South Alabama.

Kansas State is 2-0, has not allowed an offensive touchdown, and is a 20.5-point favorite.

Can the Green Wave steal one in Manhattan again?

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Tulane Green Wave:

Year 1 of the Will Hall era. Ugly 17-3 opener at Duke. Then a messy, necessary 28-24 win at Yulman when Jaylin Lucas ran for 214 and Kadin Semonza hit Destyn Hill from 14 yards with 1:17 left.

Semonza is the starter. 25-of-43, 352 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT through two games.

Roster reality heading to Manhattan:

The Wave still cannot stay on the field. Duke held the ball 36:35. South Alabama held it 37:40 and went 10-of-16 on third down.

Tulane is 13 first downs in a “win.” That will not travel against a better defense.

What remains is still Wave culture:

Lucas just set an American Conference yards-per-carry record (19.5) on 11 carries.

Hill has 9-158-1. Anthony Brown-Stephens and Zycarl Lewis Jr are the next layer that need to start producing. Semonza and Hill need some help. Maybe the TE’s will finally get involved.

Johnnie Daniels punched in two short TDs vs USA.

Jamauri McClure (foot, I fear this is way more serious then they are letting on) has not played in either game. If he is not ready, Lucas / Turner / Daniels have to carry a road Power-4 defense that has allowed 144 yards per game.

Kansas State Wildcats:

Year 1 of Collin Klein. He was the OC in that 2022 home loss to Tulane.

Asked this week if that still burns: “No doubt.”

They are 2-0 after 71-3 vs Nicholls and 34-7 vs Washington State. 105-10 combined.

Defense has not allowed an offensive touchdown.

Ranked No. 2 nationally in total defense (144.0), No. 1 in passing yards allowed (47.5), No. 3 in scoring defense (5.0). Three penalties for 35 yards in two games. Fewest in the country. (Tulane First Test)

Offense is physical and complementary:

52.5 points, 523 yards, 7.2 yards per carry, 19-of-27 on third down.

K-State is healthier, cleaner, and already has the identity tape they want. Tulane has the 2022 scar on this building and a chip after having to survive South Alabama.

Both teams have questions.

Only one of them looks like it has answers through two weeks.

Kansas State offense vs Tulane defense:

Klein and Sean Gleeson want to run first, stay on schedule, and live play-action. This is not a one-read air raid. It is a physical, complementary attack that has rushed for 607 yards on 84 carries through two games.

Avery Johnson is the problem. Senior dual-threat. 37-of-55, 391 yards, 6 passing TDs, 2 INTs, plus 101 rushing yards and a score. He will keep it, pull it, and throw on the move. The two picks vs Washington State were stare-downs and along the sideline 10 yds or less. Jaylen Thomas (Wash St) jumped both (1-TD). Do not expect him to gift those again, but he does get stupid with the ball sometimes so Tulane must capitalize.

The run committee:

Rodney Fields Jr. (Oklahoma State transfer) 206 yards, 2 TDs, including the 75-yard dagger to open the second half vs WSU.

Joe Jackson still hits home runs and already has receiving TDs in both games. Jay Harris and Monterrio Elston Jr. have scored on the ground. Depth is real.

Size at WR Spot:

Josh Manning 6-3/220 (Missouri transfer) is the clear WR1: 13-130-2. Ten catches for 97 vs WSU.

Joe Jackson and Brandon White are the YAC layer.

Tulane’s 4-2-5 under Tayler Polk / Nate Fuqua just got gashed for 227 rushing yards by Nate Sheppard at Duke, then survived South Alabama’s 182-yard, 37-minute possession game. Third-down defense is the wound. 10-of-16 allowed to USA.

Chris Rodgers (left leg) will not play and “may” be done for the year (2nd Opnion). That is a real loss next to Dickson Agu, who just posted 14 tackles.

Next Man Up:

Makai Williams stepped up in his replacement, made several key stops.

Safety Jack Tchienchou is still the defensive leader.

Ed Smith IV, Derrick Shepard Jr., Kam Hamilton, and the young ends have to set the edge against Fields/Jackson and keep Johnson from extending. Through 2 games Tulane has 1 sack and 4 TFL, they must improve this number if they want any chance in this game. Would love to see LB Dalton Hughes rush the passer, did very well with that at USA.

Kevin Adams III has 21 tackles and is 2nd on the team, Jack with 18. The secondary can hunt if it is third-and-7+.

K-State is converting 70% of those.

Last time in this building the Wave made K-State scoreless in the second half. That script does not exist if Fields hits the edge on first down and Johnson gets clean play-action.

Look for Macho Stevenson to get a bunch of work with the height of K-State WR room.

X Factor:

Defense, Defense, Defense. Clean tackling, generate pressure, force mistakes that’s the only way!

Kansas State defense Vs Tulane Offense:

Hall and Russ Callaway will still want to run it and play-action off it. Semonza is not Retzlaff and he is not Johnson. He does not have to throw 40 times. He has to stay on schedule, hit Hill / Brown-Stephens / Lewis when K-State loads the box, and protect the football.

The offensive line is the swing unit on the road. Reese Baker is the veteran. The rest of that front is still proving it. Against a Jordan Peterson front that has allowed 47.5 passing yards per game and stuffed two opponents under 200 total yards, early-down protection is everything. The line is improving and played way cleaner.

If McClure is still out, Lucas is the feature. 214 yards on 11 carries vs USA is real. It is also 11 touches.

He cannot be the entire plan for 60 minutes in Manhattan. Turner and Daniels have to finish drives.

Tight ends Dawson Johnson, Vance Bolyard and the F package (Ty Thompson/Gabe Lovorn) have to be involved. They were afterthoughts at Duke and USA.

K-State defense last two weeks: No offensive touchdowns allowed. 144 yards per game. 2-of-12 third downs vs Washington State. Gabe Powers leading the linebacker room. Wendell Gregory and Elijah Hill wrecking the edge.

Secondary has not been stressed because nobody has stayed on schedule. First Test for them.

Peterson is multiple. Four-man, five-man, nickel. They are assignment-sound and the least-penalized team in the country. You will not draw them offside into a free first down.

If that front stays gap-sound, Semonza is in obvious passing downs by the middle of the second quarter. That is when this defense lives. If they overpursue Lucas the way USA did, the Wave can steal explosives. Hill already has a 61-yarder and the game-winner.

Last year in New Orleans K-State finished 34-27. In 2022 in this building they could not score after halftime. The difference Saturday is whether Tulane can stay ahead of the chains against a front that has not blinked yet.

X Factor:

Explosive run game + zero turnovers. Anything less and the clock becomes K-State’s friend.

Tulane Green Wave @ Kansas State Wildcats:

Overall and Three keys to victory for Tulane:

On paper this one should not be close. Kansas State’s favor.

K-State is 2-0, healthier, cleaner, and already has the run-game and defensive tape they want. They have not allowed an offensive touchdown. They convert 70% of third downs. They have three penalties in two games.

Tulane is 1-1, a 20.5-point dog, missing Chris Rodgers, and still waiting on Jamauri McClure. The Wave just needed a last-minute score to survive South Alabama at home.

The only reason this is interesting is 2022. This building has seen the Wave win here. Klein has not forgotten it. Hall’s group has to play a complete, complementary, clean road game it has not played yet.

Harley Day in Manhattan. 11 a.m. kick. ESPN2. Loud.

Three keys for Tulane:

1. Set the edge and make Fields/Jackson earn everything. If Fields hits the 75-yard variant early, Johnson gets free play-action and the Wave defense spends the morning in the middle of the field. Set the edge, tackle in space, force K-State into third-and-7+. That is the only down this secondary can hunt. Generate pressure and force mistakes

2. Let Semonza be efficient without turning it over. He does not have to out-duel Avery Johnson. He has to stay on schedule, take what Peterson gives him, and protect the football. One or two completed drives that end in the end zone change how K-State has to play the rest of the morning. Ball security is non-negotiable on the road as a three-score dog.

3. Win early downs and stay out of obvious passing situations. The reloaded Wave offensive line does not have to dominate. It has to give Semonza a clean pocket on first and second down and create enough push for Lucas / Turner / Daniels / McClure (if healthy) to keep Peterson honest.

Third-and-long against this front is where the game gets away. Stay ahead of the chains, convert a couple of third-and-mediums, and you at least give yourself a fourth-quarter chance.

Bill Snyder will be loud.

Kansas State will have moments.

They almost never had to sweat the first two weeks, this is a plus for Tulane if they strike first.

Play complementary and clean football, finish in the red zone, tackle, and make Klein remember 2022 for one more Saturday.

#RollWave

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Saints All-22 Recap Week 1

By Kaden Arkeder • September 17, 2026

I watched the coaches film of the Lions game and felt some mixed emotions after going through all of the plays. First and foremost, the offensive line has to play much better than what they showed against the Lions given the investment the Saints have made through either draft capital or contractually. The right side in particular was a big reason why the offense struggled to get off to a good start against the Lions as they could neither open lanes in the running game or give Tyler Shough consistent time to throw. Cesar Ruiz was entering the year needing to have a bounce back campaign after how his 2025 season went and his performance against the Lions was not a good start to accomplishing his goal. Taliese Fuaga has been a mixed bag thus far in his young career which is not abnormal for young offensive tackles. Tali had a promising rookie season but followed it up with an up and down sophomore season where he dealt with multiple injuries over the course of the season. He is someone the Saints will have to make a decision on regarding picking up his fifth year option after the season and someone who the Saints need to play well in order to accomplish their goals this season. But I have to give the offense credit because the last 20 or so minutes of the game was fun to watch. Shough was in rhythm from then on and made big time throw after big time throw getting multiple receivers involved. Although as I was watching the game live I could not help but notice it took way too long to get Juwan Johnson on the board. Juwan has had a track record of performances like this before and you would like to see better consistent production from him rather than the all or nothing types of games he has had in the past. I will be curious to see if he gets involved in the passing game much sooner against the Ravens this week which could very well help the offense get off to a better start. Moving on to who I thought was the player of the game, Chris Olave. Olave took a little while to get going in conjunction with the offense but he ultimately did exactly what I thought he would do against Detroit, dominate. Olave took advantage of the Lion’s defensive backs all game long and with their starting safeties being injured Olave beat Detroit down the field for long gains multiple times. If Olave has enough games like this one against the Lions he could very well be in the offensive player of the year conversation when it is all said and done. The only obstacles I could see is his health and if his number of targets drops when Jordyn Tyson returns from his injury. Moving on to the defense, as a whole I thought the defense did a great job against the Lions. Holding them to seven points in the first half was great and even though the scoreboard showed they gave up thirty one points, fourteen of those came from short fields because of turnovers on offense. There was a lot of encouraging play across the defense, Jonas Sanker looked great in the star role and made some impact plays, whether they counted or not. On that note the duel between Chase Young and Penei Sewell did not disappoint as both had their moments throughout the game, with the biggest being Young’s strip sack that was not meant to be according to the officials. All I will say is even after the explanation there is just no way the officials called either Young’s play or all the other strip sacks across the league this weekend correct. Moving on, I would have liked to see Chase Young get more snaps on the opposite edge in what would have been a more favorable matchup for him against the Lions rookie offensive tackle. But not only for the matchup but also just to give the offense a different look so they do not just expect him in the same spot all game long. Speaking of aligning in different spots I thought Brandon Staley did a great job of moving Kaden Elliss around who then to his credit was able to take advantage and have a good game. However, an area of concern did rear its ugly head in this game which did not come as a surprise. The defensive line did not do a nearly good enough job stopping the run against the Lions. The Saints used a rotation of players along the defensive line throughout the game to try and keep players fresh which is a philosophy I believe in but with some older veterans in the mix I believe it would be in the Saints best interest moving forward to limit their snaps in favor of players like Vernon Broughton and Christen Miller. Vernon and Christen’s development would help raise the ceiling of the defense and improve the long term outlook on the defensive side of the ball. I expect the Saints to use more resources to shore up the defensive line when we get to the offseason but in the meantime the Saints will have to figure out how to get the best out of who they have on the roster. Overall I am concerned about the slow starts, the Saints and Kellen Moore have had enough of them now to where it is starting to look like a legitimate issue moving forward. If the Saints are to improve their chances against the best teams in the league they will have to be more productive early on in those games. I believe the slow starts can be fixed by Kellen Moore and the offense but I am not so sure the Saints have the answer to playing the run better on defense currently. But with those concerns I saw plenty of positives like Jonas Sanker settling in nicely to the Star role, Kaden Elliss being a versatile piece for the defense, Chase Young having a great battle with Penei Sewell, Shough and Olave connecting time after time on key plays. There is plenty for the Saints to improve on but after watching the tape they appear to be starting from a much better spot this season than in season’s past.

College Football Player Buzz

By Kaden Arkeder • September 16, 2026

We’re a couple weeks into the college football season and here are some players I have been keeping an eye on as well as some buzz I have been hearing but have not yet watched. The list will have both draft eligible players and non draft eligible players who have been making a name for themselves thus far in the season. Malachi Toney - WR - Miami Malachi Toney burst onto the scene as a freshman last year with a 109 reception, 1,211 yard, 10 TD campaign and he has continued his dominance into his sophomore season. He is currently third in receiving yards in the country with 330 yards. Toney has been a human highlight reel with his route running, shaking defenders with ease leading to massive separation from those trying to cover him. He’s been a fun watch and if you are not watching Miami games you will most likely see a highlight of his going viral on social media as you are scrolling through your feed. Jadan Baugh - RB - Florida Jaden Baugh is a grown man when he runs the ball and should not be as graceful as he is given his 6 '1 225 pound frame. Baugh has gotten off to an absurd start to the season by rushing for 296 yards on just 28 carries resulting in a yards per carry over ten as well as finding the end zone five times. Baugh has been popping up on my feed with long runs featuring great cut backs and jump cuts to weave through defenders. Baugh was on my list for top running back prospects entering the season and has backed it up thus far. Kamario Taylor - QB - Mississippi State Kamario Taylor is a sophomore who has been seeing increasing buzz with each week. Taylor has been creating some intriguing highlights due to some of the best, new arm strength being shown at the QB position in college. The velocity he can throw with is at an elite level which forces evaluators to pay attention. But his arm strength is not the only trait to be excited about, Taylor has a 6’4 230 pound frame paired with a good ability to run the ball as well. He is someone to keep an eye on as Taylor has all the physical tools to succeed long term. Princewill Umanmielin - Edge - LSU Princewill is a senior, the younger brother of Panthers edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, and looks to be the next member of the family tree heading towards a career in the NFL. Princewill has the build of a long, lean, relentless edge rusher who can win his matchup in a variety of ways including speed around the corner, a spin move, the arm over, etc. He is currently leading college football in sacks with five on the season. Leading the country in sacks while playing in the SEC is quite an accomplishment and we’ll see if he can keep his pace as LSU enters conference play against Ole Miss this weekend. Kingston Lopa - DB - Cal Cal has been quietly producing some NFL caliber defensive backs the past couple of years such as Nohl Williams, and Hezekiah Masses. Sophomore Kingston Lopa is quickly making a case to be the next in line. Lopa’s physical attributes for the position is an outlier as he is listed at 6’5 210 pounds. But he is not just a physical presence on the field, he is showing he has the ball skills and a knack for finding the ball. Kopa currently leads college football in interceptions with four on the year already. A defensive back with the size and ball skills he possesses will be a no brainer for evaluators as someone to keep an eye on. Lamont Lester Jr. - Edge - Colorado Lamont is listed 6’2 230 pounds so he is on the smaller side for an NFL edge rusher but he is showing some good athleticism, motor, and active hands in the early parts of the season. He picked up three sacks against Georgia Tech and won with speed around an offensive tackle, finishing a pressure his teammate created, then with active hands to shoot inside for his last sack. With his skillset Lester will be someone worth keeping an eye on throughout the season as someone who could potentially make an impact at the next level. Drew Mestemaker - QB - Oklahoma State Drew has been on my radar since last season as he was part of the PFF darling trio at North Texas last season. Mestemaker has good size for the position being listed at 6’3 215 pounds. He got off to a rough start against Tulsa in week one but turned it around in week two by pulling off what many see as the upset of the week by beating the sixth ranked Oregon Ducks. Drew was able to outduel another big QB prospect in Dante Moore by making some big time throws throughout the game and orchestrating scoring drive after scoring drive against a talented Oregon defense. While there is a chance he comes out for the draft this season he is presumed to be more in the 2028 conversation. Regardless of his draft status, Drew and Oklahoma State could be a fun team to follow this season.