The College Football Playoff field is officially set, and while the national spotlight naturally gravitates toward the top seeds, there’s a first-round matchup brewing in Oxford that deserves plenty of attention. Tulane and Ole Miss are set to square off in what promises to be a high-energy clash on December 20 - and we now know who’ll be calling the action.
Veteran broadcaster Joe Tessitore will be on the play-by-play mic, with Jesse Palmer providing analysis. Katie George and Quint Kessenich will handle sideline duties, giving fans full coverage from every angle.
The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be available on TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max - a multi-platform rollout fitting for a game with plenty of storylines.
Let’s start with the obvious: this is not just another bowl game. It’s a College Football Playoff first-round contest, and it’s happening in Oxford, where the atmosphere is expected to be electric.
That energy will only be amplified by the recent bombshell that Lane Kiffin is headed to LSU. This will be the Rebels’ first game since that announcement, and it’s fair to wonder how the team will respond.
Will they rally around the news and play inspired football, or will the distraction linger? Either way, it adds a dramatic layer to an already intriguing matchup.
Ole Miss comes into this one as the No. 6 seed, and they’ve already seen Tulane once this season. That game ended in a 45-10 statement win for the Rebels, who dominated on both sides of the ball.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was in full control, throwing for 307 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 112 on the ground. His dual-threat ability shredded the Green Wave defense, and you can bet Tulane’s coaching staff has spent plenty of time in the film room trying to figure out how to slow him down the second time around.
But don’t count Tulane out just yet. The Green Wave punched their ticket to the CFP with a gritty win over North Texas, a game that marked another solid step in the early stages of the Jon Sumrall era. Sumrall, who’s already been named the next head coach at Florida, is still on the sidelines for this one - a move that speaks volumes about his connection to this team and his desire to finish what he started.
There’s a lot on the line here. For Ole Miss, it’s a chance to prove they’re still locked in despite the coaching shakeup.
For Tulane, it’s an opportunity to flip the script and show they’ve grown since that early-season loss. And for fans, it’s a showcase of what the expanded playoff format can deliver - more teams, more drama, and more meaningful football in December.
So circle December 20 on your calendar. This one’s got all the ingredients: playoff stakes, a coaching subplot, a rematch with history, and a broadcast crew ready to capture it all.
Tulane vs. Ole Miss might not be the marquee matchup of the bracket, but don’t be surprised if it ends up being one of the most compelling.