When the College Football Playoff bracket dropped, the reaction was swift-and loud. Critics zeroed in on the inclusion of two Group of Five teams, Tulane and James Madison, who earned the 11th and 12th seeds.
Left on the outside looking in? Power programs like Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, BYU, and Texas.
The debate wasn’t just about who got in-it was about whether G5 teams should be in the mix at all.
The skepticism wasn’t subtle. In fact, Nick Saban put it bluntly, comparing the inclusion of a team like James Madison to letting a Triple-A baseball club compete in the World Series.
“Would we allow the winner of the Triple-A baseball league… in the World Series playoff? That’s the equivalent of what we do when JMU gets into the College Football Playoff and Notre Dame doesn’t,” Saban said.
That quote lit a fire under the conversation heading into the weekend. Both Tulane and James Madison had a shot to prove the doubters wrong, to show that the Group of Five could hang with the big boys on the biggest stage.
But only one of them would get the chance to make that statement. Tulane’s opportunity came first-and it didn’t go well.
Tulane's Playoff Appearance Ends in a Blowout
Saturday night was supposed to be Tulane’s moment to silence the critics. Instead, it turned into a confirmation of every doubt that had been raised.
Jon Sumrall’s Green Wave ran into an Ole Miss team that, despite having just lost Lane Kiffin to LSU, looked sharper, faster, and far more physical. The result: a lopsided 41-10 loss that left little room for interpretation.
Ole Miss didn’t just win-they dominated. The Rebels averaged over 10 yards per pass attempt and churned out 4.4 yards per carry on the ground, even after losing running back Kewan Lacy early to injury.
On the other side of the ball, Pete Golding’s defense put on a clinic. Tulane didn’t find the end zone until there were just four minutes left in the game, well after the outcome had been decided.
For a team that entered the Playoff as the top-ranked Group of Five program in the nation, this wasn’t just a loss-it was a statement, and not the kind Tulane was hoping to make. It’s one thing to lose a close battle to a powerhouse. It’s another to be overwhelmed in every phase of the game.
The Bigger Picture: What Does This Mean for the G5?
The loss reignites a familiar debate: Should Group of Five teams automatically get a shot in the Playoff, or should every team-regardless of conference-have to prove they belong based solely on strength of schedule and quality wins?
Tulane’s performance didn’t do the G5 any favors. If the goal of the College Football Playoff is to showcase the 12 best teams in the country, then it's fair to ask whether that standard was met. Critics will point to Saturday’s blowout as evidence that the current format needs tweaking-perhaps requiring G5 teams to meet a higher bar during the regular season to earn their spot.
Of course, the story isn’t finished just yet. James Madison still has a chance to flip the narrative.
A strong showing from the Dukes could shift the tone of the conversation and prove that not all G5 teams are created equal. But after Tulane’s showing, the pressure is squarely on JMU to carry the banner for the underdogs.
For now, though, the scoreboard speaks volumes. And the message is clear: if Group of Five teams want to be taken seriously in the Playoff, they’ll need to do more than just earn a spot-they’ll need to show they can compete once they get there.