Despite Ole Miss being favored by 17.5 points, Tulane would want to win its first playoff appearance. But injury concerns for the team remain, and HC Jon Sumrall has 15 players on the injury report. Fortunately, it had some positive news regarding star wide receiver Bryce Bohanon.

“Sources have told On3 that wide receiver Bryce Bohanon is expected to warm up and test his availability in pregame,” as per Pete Nakos’ Friday injury report. “The hope is Bohanon, who has 31 catches for 417 yards this season, will be able to be available against Ole Miss.”

Green Wave has already ruled five players out, as of Wednesday’s report. So, any hope of Bohanon is positive news as he remains questionable after his freak injury.

He suffered a knee injury during practice ahead of the regular-season finale against Charlotte, putting his status in focus. The injury itself was a bit of bad luck. It was a “friendly-fire” moment that happened in practice before the Charlotte game. Bryce Bohanon volunteered to help out on the punt return unit as a hold-up guy during the week leading up to the UNC Charlotte game. The setback kept him out for several weeks, including the regular-season finale and the AAC Championship. Still, the hope of his return has given head coach Jon Sumrall and the Green Wave some much-needed breathing room.

“He might play a little bit” Sumrall said after Thursday’s practice. “It won’t be substantial, but the trainers and him will let me know what he might be able to do a couple of snaps up.”

His 31 catches were second on the team. His first career touchdown grab on fourth down against Army, just past the two-minute timeout, was the Wave’s most significant play of the year. So, he remains a crucial piece of Tulane’s explosive passing attack. If the Green Wave wants a real shot at knocking off an SEC powerhouse like Ole Miss, they’ll need Bohanon at his best.

Tulane’s receiving room is deep, but Bohanon adds something extra. That was missing in Tulane’s September loss to Ole Miss. The Rebels’ secondary shut down the passing game. The Green Wave also ran a two-quarterback system in that game, which likely didn’t help the offense find any rhythm. Getting Bohanon back would give Tulane a healthier, more complete rotation and help avoid a repeat of that performance.

His return could be especially important for a faster start and better execution on third down. That was a major issue in the first matchup with Ole Miss. Tulane could convert just 6 of 15 third downs and failed on three straight fourth-down attempts in Rebels territory during the second half. Having Bohanon back could make all the difference this time around.

Who has the edge? 

Ole Miss enters its first-round College Football Playoff matchup against Tulane as a heavy favorite. However, the projections point to a game that could be more competitive than the previous 45-10 loss. At Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the Rebels have a 90.3% win probability. On the other hand, Tulane sits at +612 with just a 14.0% implied chance to pull the upset.​ Despite that, the Data Skrive betting model leans toward Tulane to cover the spread and the game to stay under the 56.5-point total.

It projects a 34–21 Ole Miss win. That scoreline aligns closely with the implied total (Rebels 37, Green Wave 20). But it trims a few points off the offensive expectations and leaves Tulane inside the number at +17.5. In other words, the win for the Rebels won’t be a blowout win. From a statistical standpoint, Ole Miss has the profile of a legitimate CFP threat. The Rebels average 37.3 points per game, good for 13th nationally, while allowing just 20.1 points, ranking 22nd in scoring defense.

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Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has thrown for 3,016 yards at a 65.5% completion rate with 18 touchdowns against only three interceptions. He even added 470 rushing yards and six scores on the ground, giving Ole Miss a balanced, dual-threat centerpiece.

Tulane counters with a less explosive but dangerous offense built around quarterback Jake Retzlaff. Retzlaff has passed for 2,862 yards with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions, but his real edge is on the ground. He’s piled up 610 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, averaging 46.9 rushing yards per game. The Green Wave averages 29.1 points per game and allows 22.6, placing them 42nd and 64th nationally in those categories.