QB Jake Retzlaff starts for Tulane in win over Northwestern

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How Jake Retzlaff ended up at Tulane (1:13)

Pete Thamel gives the sequence of events that ended with former BYU QB Jake Retzlaff ending up at Tulane. (1:13)

Tulane started BYU transfer Jake Retzlaff at quarterback against Northwestern on Saturday, in a 23-3 season-opening victory.

Retzlaff finished 18-of-31 passing for 152 yards and a touchdown, but also added 113 yards on the ground on 10 carries, including another score as the Green Wave, a program eyeing the Group of 4 berth to the College Football Playoff, posted a key win over a Power 4 team.

Retzlaff went 11-2 as a starter for the Cougars in 2024, and his transfer in July came in the wake of an honor code violation that would have resulted in a BYU-issued suspension.

Iowa transfer Brendan Sullivan was dressed and available at quarterback for Tulane, as he returned from a lower-body injury that has limited him in practice recently.

Retzlaff emerged from a quintessentially modern quarterback battle at Tulane that primarily involved four quarterbacks who all enrolled in January, a group that included Ball State transfer Kadin Semonza and Illinois transfer Donovan Leary.

Tulane went 9-5 last year in coach Jon Sumrall's first season. It has a high-profile September, with games upcoming at South Alabama, at home against Duke and at Ole Miss.

Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns at BYU last year. He completed 57.9% of his passes and threw 12 interceptions.