Green Wave Look for Playoff Magic in CFP Matchup with No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels

New Orleans football fans have a lot to cheer about this holiday season, even if the Tulane Green Wave’s next game isn’t in the Caesars Superdome.

On Saturday, December 20, the No. 11-seeded Tulane Green Wave (11-2) head to Oxford, Mississippi, to face the No. 6-seeded Ole Miss Rebels (11-1) in a College Football Playoff first-round matchup at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT, broadcast on TNT and truTV.

Green Wave vs. Rebels: How To Watch

• Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025
• Kickoff Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT
• Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS

TV Broadcast:

• Main Channel: TNT
• Alternate Broadcast: truTV (great option if you’re flipping between games or want a different vibe)

Streaming Options:

• Watch the game for free at fuboTV,
• Max (formerly HBO Max) – The official streaming home for this game. Subscribe directly or access through your cable provider if it includes Max.
• Services carrying TNT/truTV: Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Fubo (check your plan for TNT inclusion).

Radio (for the drive or if you’re listening on the go):

• Tulane: Learfield Green Wave Sports Network (flagship: Fox Sports 106.1 FM in New Orleans)
• Ole Miss: Ole Miss Radio Network
• Satellite: SiriusXM (check app for channel closer to kickoff)

This is a rare rematch in the expanded 12-team playoff: The Rebels dominated the Green Wave 45-10 back in September at the same venue. But a lot has changed since then for both teams.

Tulane, under head coach Jon Sumrall, rebounded strongly to win the American Athletic Conference championship and earn the highest-ranked Group of 5 bid.

Ole Miss wrapped up its best regular season in program history but saw head coach Lane Kiffin depart for LSU, with defensive coordinator Pete Golding stepping in as interim head coach for the postseason.

Tulane Strives for Legitimacy in CFP

For New Orleans’ own Green Wave, this playoff berth is historic—the program’s first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. Tulane’s path included impressive wins over Power 4 foes and a dominant conference title game performance.

Quarterback Jake Retzlaff had a tough outing in the first meeting (his worst of the season), but he’s grown into a reliable leader, guiding a balanced offense that averages 29.1 points per game. The Green Wave defense has been stout, limiting opponents to 375.5 yards per contest—key against Ole Miss’ high-powered attack that racks up 498.1 yards.

Ole Miss Seeks To Keep Momentum

The Rebels are led by transfer quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who exploded onto the scene after taking over early in the season, and running back Kewan Lacy, an SEC standout with a school-record 20 rushing touchdowns.

Ole Miss’ offense remains explosive, but questions linger about cohesion under new leadership.

Tulane fans know beating a team twice in one season is tough—especially on the road in a hostile environment.

But the Green Wave have shown resilience all year, and a win here would send them to the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 1 right here in the Caesars Superdome against No. 3 Georgia. Talk about a homecoming!

Keys for Tulane:

• Force Ole Miss into mistakes: The Rebels’ defense is solid (20.1 points allowed per game), but turnovers could swing momentum.
• Run the ball effectively: Tulane thrives when outrushing opponents (36-3 record in such games since 2016).
• Contain Chambliss and Lacy: Limit big plays from the dynamic duo.

Odds favor Ole Miss heavily, but this Green Wave squad has proven doubters wrong before. Roll Wave—let’s shock the college football world and bring playoff football back to NOLA for the quarterfinals!