Tulane Green Wave vs Northwestern Wildcats Picks and Predictions August 30th 2025

QB-Rich Tulane Keeps Northwestern Guessing Entering Opener

The Tulane Green Wave enter Saturday’s season opener against Northwestern with as much intrigue as any team in the country, thanks to an unsettled quarterback situation. After losing star passer Darian Mensah to Duke via the transfer portal, second-year coach Jon Sumrall rebuilt his QB room with a flurry of transfers. The list includes Ball State’s Kadin Semonza, Illinois’ Donovan Leary, former Northwestern and Iowa quarterback Brendan Sullivan, and BYU’s Jake Retzlaff. The battle remains wide open, with Sumrall joking this week that he might not reveal a starter until “10:59 a.m. on game day” — just before the 11 a.m. kickoff in New Orleans.

Retzlaff enters with the strongest résumé after throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns for BYU last season. However, his late arrival to Tulane in July — following the dismissal of a sexual assault lawsuit but with a suspension stemming from BYU’s honor code still on his record — complicated his integration. Sullivan, meanwhile, could provide one of the more dramatic storylines if he plays, as he helped Northwestern reach the Las Vegas Bowl last year before transferring to Tulane. Injuries limited him in fall camp, but his familiarity with the Wildcats’ system could make him an option.

Tulane QB transfers in 2025

Northwestern’s stability with Preston Stone

While Tulane continues to evaluate its options, Northwestern has already settled on its quarterback. SMU transfer Preston Stone earned the starting job and the respect of his teammates, who voted him captain. Stone spent four years with the Mustangs, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for more than 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. His ability to protect the football makes him an ideal fit for a program that has long valued discipline and efficiency.

Stone inherits an offense that must improve dramatically to compete in the Big Ten. Last season, Northwestern ranked 128th out of 134 FBS teams in scoring, averaging just 17.8 points per game. The Wildcats believe Stone’s steady hand, combined with a deeper group of receivers and running backs, will help push production closer to conference standards. For those analyzing the matchup, NCAAF picks note the contrast between Tulane’s uncertainty and Northwestern’s clarity at quarterback.

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Defense still Northwestern’s calling card

Even with Stone in charge of the offense, coach David Braun knows his team’s strength lies on the defensive side of the ball. The Wildcats return significant experience, particularly along the defensive line, where depth and rotation will be key in the early-season heat of New Orleans. “A lot of experience on that side of the ball, a lot of experience specifically in the D-line room, and also a level of depth at all positions that we’re really confident in,” Braun said. “The way that we rotate on D-line, that’s an absolute necessity. That needs to show up for us on Saturday.”

The Wildcats will look to slow down a Tulane attack that averaged 35.1 points per game in 2024 before sputtering in a lopsided Gasparilla Bowl loss to Florida. Even without Mensah, Tulane still boasts speed and talent at the skill positions, meaning Northwestern’s defense must control tempo and force turnovers to give its offense extra possessions.

Northwestern’s defensive front

Conclusion

Saturday’s season opener brings together two programs in transition but heading in different directions. Tulane must decide which of its many transfer quarterbacks will take the first snap, while Northwestern places its trust in SMU transfer Preston Stone and a defense that remains the backbone of the roster. For the Green Wave, the question is whether one of their new signal-callers can stabilize an offense that otherwise has the firepower to contend in the AAC. For the Wildcats, it’s about proving that an experienced defense and a steady quarterback can spark a turnaround for a program looking to rise in the Big Ten.