Week 14 brings a lopsided AAC finale as the winless-in-conference Charlotte 49ers (1-10, 0-7 AAC) travel to face the No. 24 Tulane Green Wave (9-2, 6-1 AAC) at Yulman Stadium. Tulane, jockeying for a strong playoff resume after a Cotton Bowl berth last year, eyes a dominant sendoff under Jon Sumrall, while Charlotte under first-year coach Tim Albin searches for pride in a rebuild year marred by injuries and defensive collapses. The Green Wave’s explosive offense (top-15 nationally) should feast on the 49ers’ porous unit (bottom-5 scoring D), but rivalry-adjacent motivation could spark a Charlotte upset bid—expect tempo, turnovers, and Tulane’s “Roll Wave” echoing into the night.
Venue Location
The matchup is set at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. This 30,000-seat on-campus gem, opened in 2014, features a lively student section and the iconic “Wave” end zone. It’s Tulane’s fortress (5-1 home in 2025), a quick 650-mile haul from Charlotte—perfect for a neutral-site feel with Louisiana flair. Capacity often swells with tailgates along Willow Street.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT)
Broadcast: ESPNU (TV), with streaming on ESPN app and Fubo. Radio: Charlotte’s 102.9 The Chief; Tulane’s 50kWWR.
Weather Updates
New Orleans in late November offers balmy, dome-free vibes that suit Tulane’s spread attack. Forecast for game day: Partly cloudy with highs around 68°F (20°C) and lows near 52°F (11°C). Winds: Gentle 4-8 mph from the east, with a 20% chance of evening showers. Humidity ~70%, but no major disruptions expected—turf field stays grippy, favoring quick passes over ground control. Cooler than Charlotte’s projected chill, but watch for post-kickoff dew.
Injury Report
Charlotte’s injury bug has decimated depth, contributing to their 0-7 AAC skid. Tulane’s list is lighter, with key pieces returning for playoff push.
Charlotte 49ers:
| Player | Position | Status | Injury Details | Impact |
| D. Wallace | DL | Questionable | Undisclosed (limited since Nov. 15 vs. Rice) | Edge rusher (2 sacks); thins front seven (ranks 128th vs. rush, 220 yds allowed/game). |
| Burgess | DB | Out | Lower body (season-ending, early October) | Backup corner; secondary already leaky (120th pass D). |
| Max Brown | QB | Probable | Shoulder (rotated last three games) | Starter (1,800 yds, 12 TDs); if limited, backup Jake Merklinger (inefficient 52% comp.) steps in—team 0-5 without full QB health. |
| Treyveon McGee | RB | Questionable | Ankle (exited vs. UNT) | Lead rusher (550 yds); forces more carries for depth backs in 122nd-ranked ground game. |
Overall: Eight starters sidelined midseason per reports; O-line allowed 40 sacks (worst in AAC).
Tulane Green Wave:
| Player | Position | Status | Injury Details | Impact |
| Bryce Bohanon | WR | Doubtful | Undisclosed (limited practice all week) | Third-leading receiver (35 rec, 450 yds); shifts targets to Shae Wyatt—offense still top-15 (38 PPG). |
| C. Husbands | LB | Out | Undisclosed (season-ending) | Rotational LB (25 tackles); backups filled gap seamlessly (D ranks 35th scoring). |
| D. Jackson | CB | Probable | Hamstring (missed one game) | Slot corner (2 INTs); returned full vs. Tulsa—key vs. Charlotte’s short passes. |
| C. Helmke | K | Questionable | Undisclosed (since Nov. 22) | Backup kicker; starter solid (12/15 FGs), but depth test in humid conditions. |
Overall: Minimal disruptions; Sumrall praised “resiliency” post-Memphis, with only four limited players.
Player Matchups
Tulane’s athleticism (top-20 SP+ offense) overwhelms Charlotte’s youth, but 49ers’ desperation could yield moments.
Charlotte QB Max Brown (probable) vs. Tulane Secondary: Brown (1,800 yds, 12 TDs, 10 INTs) relies on checkdowns. Tulane’s DBs (D. Jackson probable, 35th pass efficiency D) swarm underneath. Edge: Tulane—Green Wave 8-0 when forcing 2+ TOs; Charlotte 0-6 with 3+ INTs thrown.
Tulane QB Darian Mensah vs. Charlotte Pass Rush: Mensah (2,950 yds, 25 TDs) dissects zones with arm talent. 49ers’ front (Wallace questionable) generates pressure on just 18% dropbacks (130th havoc). Edge: Mensah—Tulane 7-1 when he exceeds 250 yds.
Charlotte RB Treyveon McGee (questionable) vs. Tulane Front Seven: McGee (550 yds, 4 TDs) grinds short yardage. Tulane’s LBs (Husbands out, but depth stout) rank 25th vs. run (95 yds allowed). Edge: Tulane—Green Wave 6-0 holding foes under 100 rush yds.
Tulane RB Makhi Hughes vs. Charlotte Defense: Hughes (1,200 yds, 14 TDs) powers option looks. Charlotte’s D-line tires (bottom-10 stamina per PFF). Edge: Hughes—expect 150+ yds; 49ers allow 5.2 YPC.
Charlotte: Lone win over FCS foe; brutal slate (SOS 25th) included blowouts to USF, Temple.
Tulane: Playoff hopeful after 11-3 ’24; losses only to Ole Miss, Memphis—clinched AAC West.
Recent Team Forms
Charlotte 49ers: Albin’s debut cratered with defensive implosions (45 PPG allowed last 5). Offense sputtered (14 PPG), with Brown sacked 25 times in skid (L 54-26 USF, L 49-14 Temple). Morale: Bowl dreams dashed; focus on 2026 recruits—0-7 AAC worst in program history.
Tulane Green Wave: Sumrall’s squad surged post-Memphis, routing Tulsa 31-14 and ECU 26-19. Mensah-Hughes duo torched (400+ total yds/game), D opportunistic (15 TOs). Morale: CFP buzz (24th AP)—9 wins tie school mark; 4-1 ATS in streak.
Series History
Short but one-sided: Tulane leads 1-0, crushing Charlotte 34-3 in 2024’s Charlotte home debut. No prior meetings pre-AAC expansion. At Yulman: N/A. Trends: Green Wave outgained 49ers 450-150 yds last year; Charlotte’s lone score was a FG. Potential for blowout sequel, but new coach energy.
| Year | Winner | Score | Notes |
| 2024 | Tulane | 34-3 | Dominant road win for Wave |
Betting Trends
Charlotte: 5-5 ATS (50%); 3-2 ATS as 25+ dogs. 6-4 O/U; overs in 5/6 road losses. 1-9 SU as underdog (10%). Vs. top-25: 0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS.
Tulane: 4-5-1 ATS (44.4%); 2-1 ATS as 20+ favorites. 7-3 O/U; overs in 6/8 home games. 8-1 SU as fave (88.9%). Rivalry: 1-0 ATS.
Series Trends: Limited data, but Tulane covered -14.5 last year. Dogs cover 3/5 vs. ranked foes; unders rare in Wave home tilts (avg. 58 pts). Advanced: FPI gives Tulane 98.9% win prob. Tulane 15th offensive SP+; Charlotte 130th overall.
Game Odds
Charlotte 49ers 53
Tulane Green Wave – 30
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, November 28, 2025
