Tulane dominated Northwestern 23-3 in their season opener, with quarterback Jake Retzlaff delivering a stellar performance that included a touchdown pass to Justyn Reid and an explosive 69-yard touchdown run. The Green Wave built a comfortable 20-3 halftime lead while their defense completely shut down the Wildcats, who managed just a single field goal from Luke Akers. Patrick Durkin was perfect on the day, connecting on three field goals to help seal the convincing victory at Yulman Stadium.