Tulane Green Wave at Kansas State Wildcats

Injuries noted

Tulane Green Wave: Jamauri McClure (questionable) — Foot injury; availability for Kansas State was undetermined in the Sep. 12 report.; Chris Rodgers (game-time decision) — Will Hall said Tulane was awaiting a final diagnosis and second opinion.; Ty Thompson (game-time decision) — Hall said the program was still gathering information on the injury and its season implications.

QUARTERBACK

• Kadin Semonza is TULN's confirmed starter

  8.19 Y/A

  Kadin Semonza is TULN's confirmed starting quarterback. Current Week 3 coverage says Tulane switched to Semonza after the opener and that he will start against Kansas State. 2026 line: 352 passing yards, 58.1% completions, 8.19 yards per attempt, 1-0 TD-INT over 2 games.

• Avery Johnson is KSU's confirmed starter

  7.11 Y/A

  Avery Johnson is KSU's confirmed starting quarterback. Kansas State's official game notes identify Johnson as its third-year starter with 28 consecutive starts entering the Tulane game. 2026 line: 391 passing yards, 67.3% completions, 7.11 yards per attempt, 6-2 TD-INT over 2 games.

TRENCHES

• KSU is +170.5 rush yards per game

  170.5 YPG

  KSU has run for 303.5 yards per game through two 2026 games, 170.5 more than Tulane's 133. Both numbers are each team's own offensive output, so they describe two rushing identities rather than how either held up against the other's front. Two games is a thin base.

• KSU's front holds runners to 119.5 fewer yards per game

  119.5 YPG

  KSU has allowed 96.5 rushing yards per game through two 2026 games, 119.5 fewer than TULN's 216. The supplied results do not identify the offences faced or their rushing approaches, limiting any schedule-adjusted read.

PACE & SCRIPT

• KSU is scoring +37 points per game

  37 PPG

  Through 2026-09-18, KSU is scoring 52.5 PPG over 2 games while TULN is at 15.5. The 37-PPG gap frames a sharply different early scoring profile for TULN @ KSU, with only two games behind each figure.

• KSU holds the ball 10:52 longer per game

  10:52 TOP

  Through 2026-09-18, KSU has averaged 33:44 of possession over 2 games, compared with TULN’s 22:53. The 10:52 per-game gap gives KSU the stronger early possession profile in TULN @ KSU; both averages cover two games.

• KSU's defense gives up 15.5 fewer points per game

  15.5 PPG

  TULN is at 20.5 points allowed per game over 2 games; KSU is at 5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-09-18.

TURNOVERS

• TULN commits 1 fewer turnovers per game

  1 TO

  TULN is at 0.5 turnovers committed per game over 2 games; KSU is at 1.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-09-18.

MISMATCH

• KSU's ground game against TULN's — 303.5 rush yards a game to 133

  303.5 VS 133

  KSU has run for 303.5 yards a game through two, against 133 a game for TULN over its own two. Rush ypg is the widest gap on this tape, but both figures are offensive output — neither one measures how either defense has handled the run.

COVERAGE

• KSU's secondary gives up 166 fewer passing yards per game

  166 YPG

  KSU has allowed 47.5 passing yards per game through two games in 2026, against 213.5 for TULN, a 166 YPG gap. Both are raw opponent box totals through Sept 18, so how much of KSU's figure reflects opponent pass volume rather than coverage isn't in the numbers.

• KSU allows a third-down conversion rate 31.5 percentage points lower

  31.5 PP

  On third down KSU has allowed a 21.4% conversion rate over two games; TULN sits at 52.9%, a 31.5-point gap. The underlying attempt counts aren't in the data, so the two rates rest on an unknown number of snaps each.

SITUATIONAL

• KSU moves the chains 17.5 more times per game

  17.5 FD

  KSU is moving the chains 29 times per game over two 2026 games; Tulane is at 11.5, a 17.5 first-down gap. That is a volume difference in drives sustained — measured on each team's own two games, not head to head.

• KSU's third-down conversion rate is 35.8 percentage points higher

  35.8 PP

  KSU has converted 70.4% of third downs over two 2026 games to Tulane's 34.6%, a 35.8-point separation in staying on the field. Third-down rate across just two games rests on a small attempt count and can move sharply.

• KSU gives away 49.5 fewer penalty yards per game

  49.5 YDS

  TULN is at 67 penalty yards per game over 2 games; KSU is at 17.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-09-18.