Northwestern HC David Braun Stunned by Mysterious Tulane Jersey Mix-Up—What Really Happened?

Sometimes, a simple jersey request can turn into a full-blown controversy that leaves everyone scratching their heads — and that’s precisely what happened before Northwestern’s season opener against Tulane. Tulane asked to flip the uniform script, hoping to honor the resilience of New Orleans by wearing white jerseys, just like they did post-Katrina in 2005, while Northwestern would don their purple. But the Wildcats said no, sticking with white themselves and leaving Tulane in green. Enter David Braun, Northwestern’s head coach, who found himself caught off guard by the backlash and felt compelled to clear the air. Was this a slight against Tulane and New Orleans? Braun insists not, pointing to timing and miscommunication rather than disrespect. Yet, while he’s setting the record straight, the Green Wave hammered the Wildcats 23-3 on the field — proving sometimes, off-field decisions might sting just as much as those on it. Curious to delve deeper into the jersey debacle and Braun’s reaction? LEARN MORE.

David Braun cleared the air about a controversial decision prior to the Northwestern Wildcats’ season opener against the Tulane Green Wave.

Going into the matchup, Tulane requested Northwestern for them to wear their purple jerseys while the hosts donned the white jerseys. They did this because they wanted to pay tribute to what they did in 2005, wearing white jerseys in honor of the New Orleans victims of Hurricane Katrina. However, the Wildcats denied the request, going with white while Tulane wore green.

Northwestern received criticism for this decision, which had Braun set the record straight on the events, per reporter Gavin Dorsey.

“David Braun said he had the chance to connect with Jon Sumrall after the game. Said he was caught off guard, and the jersey decision was not intended out of disrespect for Tulane/New Orleans,” Dorsey wrote.

“Where that city is at right now is a reflection of the people that call it home. It was good to have that opportunity to talk with Jon yesterday,” Braun said. “Certainly not a gesture of disrespect, but the timing of the request did impact our ability to honor the request.”

Here’s what an emotional David Braun said today regarding Northwestern & Tulane’s jerseys, Jon Sumrall and the city of New Orleans:

“Where that city is at right now is a reflection of the people that call it home. It was good to have that opportunity to talk with Jon yesterday.” https://t.co/fyub0EdJ0d pic.twitter.com/LdCQUnA3Ni

— Gavin Dorsey (@gjdorsey7) September 1, 2025

How David Braun, Northwestern performed against Tulane

The Tulane Green Wave certainly took it personal, blowing out David Braun and the Northwestern Wildcats 23-3.

Tulane overwhelmed its opponent from start to finish, leading 20-3 at halftime as Northwestern had no answer. They couldn’t get anything going on offense, only scoring a field goal in the first quarter.

The Green Wave defense stifled Wildcats quarterback Preston Stone. He threw four interceptions throughout the game, ending the game with 19 completions out of 36 attempts for 161 yards.

The Wildcats will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being at home. They host the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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