Two American Conference teams landed in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings released Tuesday: Tulane (10-2) at No. 20 and North Texas (11-1) at No. 24. Last season, Army was the lone representative of the American in the CFP rankings Top 25. The emergence of the Green Wave and the Mean Green this season makes them a must-watch in the college football playoffs.
North Texas, Tulane Pull Off Surprise Campaigns To Gain College Football Playoff Rankings Recognition
Last season, Tulane finished second in the American Athletic Conference, losing to Army 35-14 in the championship game. North Texas wasn’t in contention, going 6-7 overall and 3-5 in conference.
Both teams retooled their lineups during the offseason, and North Texas coach Eric Morris maximized its “Air Raid” offense to terrorize the American, scoring 50 or more points seven times. On the other hand, Jon Sumrall developed Tulane into a superior defensive team, limiting their foes to less than 20 points on five occasions during the regular season.
JMU, North Texas, Iowa and Houston make an appearance in this week’s CFP Top 25 👏
Did your team make the cut? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/HcN1rU6KCT
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 3, 2025
The Mean Green have made a shocking turnaround from 6-7 last season to 11-1 this season, thanks to Morris’ potent offensive schemes. His offensive strategies helped North Texas lead the FBS in scoring offense and total offense and rank among the top five in passing offense (second), pass efficiency (third), first downs (third), turnover margin (second), and fewest interceptions thrown (fifth).
As for Tulane, the team is known for its strong defense that is 29th in the FBS in rushing yards allowed at 120.3 yards per game. They rank 42nd in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 22.8 points per game, and have a high forced turnover rate at 1.6 per outing.
Tulane and North Texas are 12th and 13th, respectively, in the CFB Playoff Meter, with the Green Wave having a 61.2% chance of making the playoffs while the Mean Green has a 38.8% probability of securing a spot in the knockout rounds.
Tulane, North Texas Clash for All the Marbles in American Conference Championship Game
The Green Wave returns to the American championship game after losing to Army last season, and Sumrall, in his last title game before taking his talents to Florida next season, will seek a triumphant exit from the program that allowed him to claim the fame he’s achieved.
On the other hand, North Texas looks to cap a Cinderella story and a perfect sendoff to Morris, who has developed a reputation as a quarterback whisperer by helping the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Cam Ward, and now Drew Mestemacker become premier signal-callers in college football.
The American Conference championship game would be big for both programs, as a win for either team would guarantee them a spot in the college football playoffs, and No. 20 Tulane will have the home-field advantage in the do-or-die clash. Most experts are expecting an exciting showdown between the two American representatives in the Top 25.
