NEW ORLEANS — Quarterback Preston Stone and the rest of Northwestern’s offense didn’t start the season the way they wanted — and that’s putting it mildly.
After denying Tulane’s request to wear its white road jerseys instead of its green home ones to honor the 2005 Green Wave team that played all over the state after Hurricane
Katrina devastated New Orleans 20 years ago, the Wildcats — who wore their road whites after having first choice of uniforms — couldn’t get anything going all game.
Stone, a transfer from SMU making his first start for NU, threw a career-high four interceptions — one of them on his first pass — lost a fumble and was sacked three times in the Wildcats’ 23-3 loss.
After the game, Tulane coach Jon Sumrall addressed the uniform issue.
‘‘[NU] got to wear all white; they took the loss,’’ Sumrall said. ‘‘I’m not trying to be a jerk, but I got a lot of love for this place. . . . Don’t disrespect the city.’’
All told, Stone finished 19-for-36 for 161 yards. Cam Porter rushed for 46 yards and Griffin Wilde caught six passes for 64 yards for the Wildcats, who were held to 237 yards of total offense. Luke Akers accounted for NU’s only points with a 21-yard field in the last minute of the first quarter.
‘‘One game does not define us as a football team,’’ Wildcats coach David Braun said. ‘‘This one just happens to be the first one and stings a lot.
‘‘Preston Stone didn’t play his best football game today, but I said it boldly in that locker room: ‘Believe in that guy. That’s our quarterback.’ He’s mentally tough, physically tough. He’ll respond well.’’
It was a different story for Green Wave quarterback Jake Retzlaff. Making his debut for Tulane after transferring from BYU when he learned he faced a suspension for violating the school’s honor code, Retzlaff passed for a touchdown and ran for another to stake the Green Wave to a 20-3 halftime lead.
Retzlaff, who won 11 games at BYU last season, accounted for 265 yards of total offense — 152 passing and 113 rushing. His numbers could have been even better were it not for six drops by Tulane receivers, including two in the end zone during one drive that ended in one of three field goals by Patrick Durkin.
‘‘It’s been a long offseason,’’ Retzlaff said. ‘‘So I’m just so excited to be able to get on this field and play with these guys. I’ve got a great group of guys around me. I’m so
fortunate.’’
The Green Wave converted the first three of Stone’s interceptions into 17 points, starting with Retzlaff’s one-yard touchdown pass to Justyn Reid in the back of the end zone
4½ minutes into the game.
The game was Tulane’s first at home against a team from the Big Ten since it defeated NU in 1955. It also was the Green Wave’s first victory against a Big Ten team since they won at Illinois in 1970.
The midday kickoff forced the Wildcats to endure the type of uncomfortably hot,
humid air for which Louisiana is known during the summer. Temperatures were in the mid-80s, but with the sun shining for much of the game and the humidity hovering around 70%, the heat index was in the mid-90s.
Tulane defensive back Javion White had two interceptions. The first was a leaping snag on a pass along the sideline that set up a 69-yard touchdown run by Retzlaff down the middle of the field with 1:28 left in the first half.
Kevin Adams and Jahiem Johnson had the Green Wave’s other interceptions.