Tulane’s Jon Sumrall Sounds Off: Why the Latest CFP Ranking Has Everyone Talking

Tulane football crashing the College Football Playoff rankings at No. 24? Now, that’s a twist no one saw coming. The Green Wave stand tall as the only Group of Five contender in the Top 25, positioning themselves for a shot at hosting the American Athletic Conference Championship and possibly snagging the final spot in the revamped 12-team CFP. But don’t let that shiny ranking fool you. Head coach Jon Sumrall is keeping it brutally real, dismissing the hype with a candid reminder: “We’re an average team.” Makes you wonder—are the CFP voters just feeling generous this year, or is the rest of the college football landscape slipping? Sumrall’s grounded approach is exactly what Tulane needs as they lock in for a tough run to the finish. With wins looming against tough rivals and a spotlight on the strength of the AAC, the real question is: can the Green Wave ride this momentum all the way to the big dance? LEARN MORE.

Tulane football entered this week with a surprise College Football Playoff ranking at No. 24, making the Green Wave the only Group of Five program included in the Top 25.

While that position gives Tulane a direct path toward hosting the American Athletic Conference Championship Game, and potentially claiming the final spot in the new 12-team CFP format.

On the other hand, head coach Jon Sumrall made it clear he isn’t buying into the praise. When asked during his latest press conference whether he believes the Green Wave deserve a Top-25 ranking, Sumrall didn’t hold back.

“If we want to start feeling comfortable or casual about somebody wanting to vote us in the top 25 teams. There must be a lot of bad football going on if we’re one of the top 25 teams… We’re an average team,” he said.

"If we want to start feeling comfortable or casual about somebody wanting to vote us in the top 25 teams. There must be a lot of bad football going on if we're one of the top 25 teams… We're an average team." – Jon Sumrall when asked if he thinks Tulane belongs in the top 25 pic.twitter.com/rn9jdt7OZ9

— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) November 18, 2025

The comment reflects Sumrall’s effort to keep his team grounded and focused heading into the final stretch of the 2025 College Football regular season.

Tulane’s spot at No. 24 places them ahead of fellow Group of Five contenders, including Navy (8-2), North Texas (9-1), and James Madison (9-1). The Green Wave holds an 8-2 overall record and 5-1 in AAC play, giving them a slight edge in the race for the CFP’s likely final at-large slot.

The CFP Committee chair, Hunter Yurachek, also explained the reasoning behind Tulane’s ranking, citing both their schedule and the overall strength of the AAC.

“The American is a really good conference this year, a really top-heavy conference. You look at Tulane’s schedule and the fact that they have went outside of their conference and played three P4 [Power] schools … winning two of those three games.”

To maintain control of its postseason destiny, Tulane must win its final two regular-season matchups. They travel to Philadelphia this week, where Sumrall said Temple has emerged as the AAC’s most improved team this season. The Green Wave then return home to host UNC-Charlotte to close out the 2025 slate.

If Tulane wins out and secures the AAC championship, the selection committee has effectively signaled that the Green Wave would be positioned as the 12th and final team in the CFP field. Because they are the only ranked AAC team, Tulane would also host the conference title game at Yulman Stadium.

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