Tulane head coach calls out Northwestern for denying Hurricane Katrina jersey tribute

The 2025 college football season is special for the Tulane Green Wave, as it marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans-based school aims to use this year to honor the city and those lost during that tragedy, part of which includes wearing no-decal helmets and white jerseys, just as the 2005 squad did in their first post-Katrina game.

However, that request was apparently denied by their season-opening opponent, the Northwestern Wildcats. Tulane responded by beating the Big Ten squad 23-3 in their home olive green jerseys.

After the game, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall shared his displeasure over the decision.

“That’s their prerogative, but when you show disrespect to the city of New Orleans, that’s what’s going to happen to you,” Sumrall said at the postgame presser. “You’re going to run into a team like this. They had a chip on their shoulder because I wanted to wear the exact same uniform that that team wore 20 years ago. Request got denied. We might have used that for a little bit of motivation to represent the city. So, don’t disrespect New Orleans ever.”

“Don’t disrespect New Orleans”: Tulane Head Coach Jon Sumrall kept it simple when it came to Northwestern denying the Wave the right to wear their white jerseys, the same ones they wore in their first game after Hurricane Katrina. pic.twitter.com/EMujKlNx7U

— wdsu (@wdsu) August 30, 2025

According to Matt Fortuna, Northwestern states that Tulane made its request on August 17, and jersey agreements are typically finalized months in advance.

The Green Wave earned its first home win over a Big Ten opponent since 1955 (also Northwestern), which is a tribute in and of itself.