In the prior year of 1919, coach Clark Shaughnessy guided Tulane to a then-school record of seven consecutive wins,[3] and had transformed Tulane into a competitor among Southern collegiate teams.[4]
On Oct. 20, 1920, Earl Sparling, the editor of the Tulane Hullabaloo, wrote a football song which was printed in the newspaper. The song was titled "The Rolling Green Wave." Although the name was not immediately adopted, it began to receive acceptance.[17]
Ole Miss
Tulane beat Ole Miss, 32–0. Coach Shaughnessy introduced a new shift in the first half, and the players had trouble implementing it.[16] By the second period, Tulane played conventional football instead.[16]
In Tampa, Tulane beat the Florida Gators 14–0.[16] Florida's Tootie Perry played one of the best games seen in Tampa.[20] Dwyer went over right tackle for the first touchdown. After B. Brown cut loose for a 30-yard run, Richcoon scored the last.[20]
In what the yearbook called "the critical game of the season,"[16] Tulane won 6–0 over the Mississippi Aggies. Both teams were previously unbeaten. The feature of the contest twas Johnny Wight's punt returns, which set up the game's only score.[22]
The starting lineup was Weigan (left end), Payne (left tackle), Fit (left guard), Reed (Center), Bellieu (left guard), Palermo (right tackle), Wight (right end), Richeson (quarterback), Dwyer (left halfback), Brown (right halfback), Smith (fullback).[22]
LSU
Tulane triumphed 21–0 over rival LSU.[16] The starting lineup was Wiegand (left end), Payne (left tackle), Fitz (left guard), Reed (center), Unsworth (right guard), Beallieu (right tackle), Wight (right end), Richeson (quarterback), Dwyer (left halfback), Brown (right halfback), Smith (fullback).[23]
On a muddy field, the Detroit Titans beat Tulane 7–0. Detroit opened up with passes early, leading to Lauer's off tackle touchdown.[24] The starting lineup was Smith (left end), Payne (left tackle), Unsworth (left guard), Reed (center), Palermo (right guard), Fitz (right tackle), Wight (right end), Richeson (quarterback), Brown (left halfback), Dwyer (right halfback), Beaullieu (fullback).[24]