Okay, so I’ve been digging into the history of Tulane football, and let me tell you, it’s been quite a ride. I wanted to get the full picture, so I started from the very beginning.
I kicked things off by looking into when the team first started playing. Turns out, their first game was way back on November 18, 1893. They didn’t win that one, lost to the Southern Athletic Club, but hey, everyone’s gotta start somewhere, right?
Then, I wanted to figure out how they got their name, the “Green Wave.” I found out that from 1893 to 1919, they were just known as the “Olive and Blue.” Pretty basic, huh? But then in 1919, things started to change. The student newspaper, the Tulane Weekly, started hinting at a new name.
The Birth of the “Green Wave”
The real turning point was in 1920. This guy, Earl Sparling, who was the editor of another student paper, the Tulane Hullabaloo, wrote a song called “The Rolling Green Wave.” It got published in the paper, and that’s when the magic happened. People started liking it. A month later, the name “Green Wave” was officially used in a game report in the student newspaper after a game against Mississippi A&M. By the end of the 1920 season, bam, “Green Wave” was everywhere for all Tulane athletics.
Naturally, I had to see what their early mascot was. I found some old programs and stuff, and get this: it was a pelican riding a surfboard! How cool is that? They had it on programs and all sorts of merchandise.
Tracking Their Record
I also tried to get a handle on their overall record. They’ve been playing for 120 seasons, from 1902 to 2024. Their official record is 549 wins, 656 losses, and 35 ties. Their adjusted record is a tiny bit different: 548 wins, 657 losses and 35 ties. I also discovered they’ve been in a few different conferences: American, CUSA, and SEC.
Recent Successes
- 2022 Season: This was a big one! They won the American Athletic Conference on their home field. A really big deal, apparently.
- Big Wins: They’ve beaten some big-name football teams, which is pretty impressive. There was one particularly thrilling game where they won 46-45 against the 10th-ranked team, thanks in part to over 8,000 fans showing up to support them.
This whole deep dive into Tulane football history has been a blast. It’s amazing to see how things have changed over the years, from their humble beginnings to their recent successes. It really makes you appreciate the history behind the team.
