One of the two first-round rematches in the College Football Playoff unfolds Saturday, with No. 6 Ole Miss welcoming No. 11 Tulane to Oxford for a postseason showdown months in the making.
These programs crossed paths back in September, when Ole Miss steamrolled Tulane 45-10 on the way to an 11-1 regular season. That afternoon proved to be a breakout moment for Trinidad Chambliss, who staked his claim as the Rebels’ quarterback of the future. Filling in for the injured Austin Simmons, Chambliss carved up the Green Wave for 307 passing yards and two touchdowns, while also showcasing his athleticism with 112 yards rushing.
Fast forward from that Sept. 20 clash, and the landscape looks completely different.
Lane Kiffin, who was calling the shots for Ole Miss at the time, has since moved on to LSU. Former defensive coordinator Pete Golding is now in charge of the Rebels as head coach. On the other sideline, Jon Sumrall finds himself wearing two hats, balancing his responsibilities after accepting the Florida job.
With so many moving pieces, this matchup carries far more weight than just familiarity. A College Football Playoff game in Oxford is a rare and historic moment, with a strong argument to be made that it is the biggest sporting event the state of Mississippi has ever hosted. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium will be bursting at the seams as fans flood the small college town for a December playoff game unlike anything the Rebels have experienced before.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Ole Miss vs Tulane NCAAM game, plus plenty more.
Ole Miss vs Tulane: Date and tip-off time
The Rebels will face off against the Green Wave in an exciting NCAAF game on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at 3:30 pm ET or 12:30 pm PT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field in Oxford, Mississippi.
| Date | Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 |
| Tip-off Time | 3:30 pm ET or 12:30 pm PT |
| Venue | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field |
| Location | Oxford, Mississippi |
How to watch Ole Miss vs Tulane on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between Ole Miss and Tulane live on TNT nationally. Streaming options are available on DirecTV Stream, which offers a FREE trial to new subscribers.
Streaming the game with a VPN
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Ole Miss vs Tulane team news & key performers
Ole Miss Rebels team news
Ole Miss, however, presents a stiff challenge defensively. The Rebels have been steady on that side of the ball, ranking 36th in points allowed and 45th in total yards conceded. They’ve held their own against the run (41st) and have been even more effective against the pass, sitting 27th nationally. That’s where Wydett Williams Jr. looms large. The rangy safety has been a playmaker all season, tallying eight pass breakups, three interceptions, and a forced fumble. If Williams can patrol the secondary and take the ball away, Retzlaff could be in for another uphill battle.
On the other side, Ole Miss’ path to victory runs through Trinidad Chambliss. The Rebels’ offense has been among the nation’s elite, ranking 12th in scoring and an eye-catching third in total yardage. While the ground game has been solid (21st), the passing attack has been the true calling card, sitting sixth nationally. Chambliss didn’t open the year as the starter, but by Week 3, he had seized the role, aided by an injury to Austin Simmons, and never looked back. He finished the regular season with 3,016 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, adding six more scores with his legs.
Chambliss has also saved some of his best work for the stretch run. Over the last three games, he’s thrown for 969 yards and eight touchdowns while being intercepted just once. In fact, he’s been remarkably careful with the football all season, tossing only three interceptions.
Tulane Green Wave team news
For Tulane, the spotlight shines squarely on Jake Retzlaff. The Green Wave offense has been dependable throughout the season, though rarely explosive, checking in at 43rd nationally in scoring and 32nd in total offense. Balance hasn’t necessarily been its calling card, either, with Tulane sitting around the middle of the pack both on the ground (50th) and through the air (51st). Still, Retzlaff has been the engine that keeps everything moving. The BYU transfer has piled up 2,862 passing yards with 14 touchdowns, though six interceptions have come along for the ride. Where he truly separates himself is with his legs. Retzlaff has rushed for 610 yards and crossed the goal line an eye-popping 16 times, giving Tulane a dynamic dual-threat presence.
That said, his lowest point of the season came in the earlier meeting with Ole Miss. Retzlaff struggled mightily in that matchup, completing just five of 17 passes and failing to score either through the air or on the ground. Even so, his resilience has shown since, as he has scored at least one rushing touchdown in seven consecutive games.
Tulane’s defense has been respectable, though not dominant. The Green Wave ranks 42nd in scoring defense and 63rd in yards allowed, with a much stronger showing against the run (29th) than the pass. That vulnerability through the air — where Tulane sits 118th nationally — could be the deciding factor. If the Green Wave are to spring the upset, improved play in the secondary is a must, and Jaheim Johnson will be central to that effort. The defensive back has recorded eight pass breakups, four interceptions, and a forced fumble, and Tulane will need every bit of that ball-hawking ability to slow down Chambliss and the Rebels’ high-octane offense.