Tonight, the Tulane Green Wave put their unbeaten American Conference mark on the line against another unbeaten mark that belongs to the team they will be playing, the University of Texas-San Antonio. The Wave are unbeaten in their three league games this year, coming in at 6-1 overall, 3-0 in the American. UTSA has a 3-4 record on the year, 1-2 in the conference, but that’s not the record people are pointing to when talking about the Road Runners.

As has been talked about (for some, ad nauseum), Texas-San Antonio hasn’t lost a conference game in their home, the Alamodome, in five years. Twenty-three straight games for UTSA since they’ve lost in their stadium. That covers their last two years in Conference USA and the entire three years they’ve populated the American. Road Runners head coach Jeff Traylor has an almost New Orleans voodoo affect over visiting teams, aided by an almost overwhelming barrage of sound from speakers that may not have an off button.

Not only does the Wave have to battle that record, they have to battle the rumors swirling around their head coach. In case you were under a rock this week, Jon Sumrall has been connected with almost every coaching vacancy you may have heard about. So, this week, instead of KEYS to victory, there really is only one thing to do.

From the overbearing sound system, to the incredible home conference record, to the rumors about their head coach, the key to victory is as simple as avoiding the distractions. Sumrall has alluded to that since this Summer, when he told his troops that avoiding those distractions last football season could have led to some different outcomes.

He made it a mantra of sorts since before Fall practice ever got underway. He won’t let his players have cell phones out during team dinners. Though he won’t say it out loud, you get the feeling he abhors social media. It’s almost like an evil he puts up with because he has to.

He talked about it this week when he told the media that these distractions are just that. They take away from his and his team’s goal: going 1-0 this week.

So, the key to victory in this game is a simple one: avoid distractions.

Of course, that might be easier said than done.

Tulane and UTSA play a prime time game on ESPN tonight at 6:30 in the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.