Football’s Makhi Hughes Named Allstate Sugar Bowl October Player of the Month
Nov 7, 2024 | Football
NEW ORLEANS  – Tulane football's Makhi Hughes was recently named the Allstate Sugar Bowl October Player of the Month.
Hughes, a redshirt sophomore running back from Birmingham, Ala., ran for 571 yards and six touchdowns in leading the Green Wave to a 4-0 month. He averaged 142.8 rushing yards per game and had a career-high 195 yards on the ground against North Texas (10/26). Hughes topped 100 yards rushing in all four games on month. On the season he has six games with 100+ rushing to reach 13 times in his career. He 13 100+ rushing games places Hughes tied for fourth all-time at Tulane. He has now run for 2,434 yards in his career to move into eighth all-time at the school.
Â
On the season, Hughes has rushed for 1,056 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has 13 catches for 125 yards and two scores. He leads all running backs in the AAC in rushing yards and is placed fifth nationally in rushing. He is also fourth in the league in rushing touchdowns. His rushing total this season is already the 10th most in a single campaign for a Tulane player.
Tulane has started the 2024 season with a 7-2 record and 5-0 mark in the AAC. The Green Wave earned a road 34-3 conference victory over Charlotte on Oct. 31. Hughes led the team with 117 yards rushing including a pair of rushing touchdowns. For his outstanding individual efforts, he was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll for the fourth time this year. Quarterback Darian Mensah was 21-for-29 in the game for 214 yards. Mario Williams hauled in six passes for 96 yards. Micah Robinson led the defense with a pick six. The win was Tulane's sixth straight overall and the 15th consecutive AAC regular victory dating back to the 2022 campaign. Both losses for Green Wave this season have come to teams that were ranked in Associated Press Top 25 including a 34-27 home defeat to then No. 17 Kansas State on Sept. 7 and a 34-19 road loss to then No. 15 Oklahoma on Sept. 14.
Tulane leads the AAC and is tied for the national lead in defensive touchdowns with six. The program is placed second in passing efficiency in the conference with a 166.04. The team has already been honored by the league office 10 times this season with Rayshawn Pleasant (Defensive Player of the Week - Sept. 2 and Special Teams Player of the Week – Oct. 6), Darian Mensah (Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 9 and Sept. 30), Tyler Grubbs (Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 16), Makhi Hughes (Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 23, Oct. 21, Oct. 28 & Nov. 4) and Gerrod Henderson (Defensive Player of the Week - Sept. 30).
Tulane's football team was chosen for third in the AAC Preseason Media Poll with 362 points plus two first-place votes at the annual conference media day.
Tulane finished the 2023 season with a mark of 11-3 and a perfect 8-0 record in the American Athletic Conference. The program concluded the campaign with the 16th bowl appearance at the GoBowling Military Bowl contest against Virginia Tech. It was the fifth time in the last six years that Tulane has appeared in a bowl game. The team is 30-7 over the last three seasons.
The school announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the 42nd head coach of the team on December 8, 2023. The Huntsville, Alabama native was one of the most successful head coaches in the country the last two seasons. He guided Troy University to a 23-4 record, two Sun Belt Conference championships and a pair of double-digit winning streaks. He was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year and was twice named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Sumrall returns to Tulane after serving as the Green Wave's Co-Defensive Coordinator for three years (2012-14). In 2013, he was a crucial part of Tulane's run to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 2002 and third since 1988. Sumrall also was named a finalist for FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year.
Next, Tulane's football team hosts Temple (2-6, 1-3 AAC) for Homecoming on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 3 p.m. at Yulman Stadium in a game shown on ESPNU. The team's remaining schedule includes a home game against Memphis (November 28) at 6:30 p.m. and the road trip to take on Navy (November 16) at 11 a.m.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and the upcoming men's and women's basketball seasons can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane football on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Â
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
                                                     - TulaneGreenWave -
Â
Hughes, a redshirt sophomore running back from Birmingham, Ala., ran for 571 yards and six touchdowns in leading the Green Wave to a 4-0 month. He averaged 142.8 rushing yards per game and had a career-high 195 yards on the ground against North Texas (10/26). Hughes topped 100 yards rushing in all four games on month. On the season he has six games with 100+ rushing to reach 13 times in his career. He 13 100+ rushing games places Hughes tied for fourth all-time at Tulane. He has now run for 2,434 yards in his career to move into eighth all-time at the school.
Â
On the season, Hughes has rushed for 1,056 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has 13 catches for 125 yards and two scores. He leads all running backs in the AAC in rushing yards and is placed fifth nationally in rushing. He is also fourth in the league in rushing touchdowns. His rushing total this season is already the 10th most in a single campaign for a Tulane player.
Tulane has started the 2024 season with a 7-2 record and 5-0 mark in the AAC. The Green Wave earned a road 34-3 conference victory over Charlotte on Oct. 31. Hughes led the team with 117 yards rushing including a pair of rushing touchdowns. For his outstanding individual efforts, he was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll for the fourth time this year. Quarterback Darian Mensah was 21-for-29 in the game for 214 yards. Mario Williams hauled in six passes for 96 yards. Micah Robinson led the defense with a pick six. The win was Tulane's sixth straight overall and the 15th consecutive AAC regular victory dating back to the 2022 campaign. Both losses for Green Wave this season have come to teams that were ranked in Associated Press Top 25 including a 34-27 home defeat to then No. 17 Kansas State on Sept. 7 and a 34-19 road loss to then No. 15 Oklahoma on Sept. 14.
Tulane leads the AAC and is tied for the national lead in defensive touchdowns with six. The program is placed second in passing efficiency in the conference with a 166.04. The team has already been honored by the league office 10 times this season with Rayshawn Pleasant (Defensive Player of the Week - Sept. 2 and Special Teams Player of the Week – Oct. 6), Darian Mensah (Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 9 and Sept. 30), Tyler Grubbs (Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 16), Makhi Hughes (Weekly Honor Roll - Sept. 23, Oct. 21, Oct. 28 & Nov. 4) and Gerrod Henderson (Defensive Player of the Week - Sept. 30).
Tulane's football team was chosen for third in the AAC Preseason Media Poll with 362 points plus two first-place votes at the annual conference media day.
Tulane finished the 2023 season with a mark of 11-3 and a perfect 8-0 record in the American Athletic Conference. The program concluded the campaign with the 16th bowl appearance at the GoBowling Military Bowl contest against Virginia Tech. It was the fifth time in the last six years that Tulane has appeared in a bowl game. The team is 30-7 over the last three seasons.
The school announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the 42nd head coach of the team on December 8, 2023. The Huntsville, Alabama native was one of the most successful head coaches in the country the last two seasons. He guided Troy University to a 23-4 record, two Sun Belt Conference championships and a pair of double-digit winning streaks. He was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year and was twice named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honor. Sumrall returns to Tulane after serving as the Green Wave's Co-Defensive Coordinator for three years (2012-14). In 2013, he was a crucial part of Tulane's run to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 2002 and third since 1988. Sumrall also was named a finalist for FootballScoop Defensive Line Coach of the Year.
Next, Tulane's football team hosts Temple (2-6, 1-3 AAC) for Homecoming on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 3 p.m. at Yulman Stadium in a game shown on ESPNU. The team's remaining schedule includes a home game against Memphis (November 28) at 6:30 p.m. and the road trip to take on Navy (November 16) at 11 a.m.
TICKETS
Tickets for the football, volleyball and the upcoming men's and women's basketball seasons can be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging on to TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Tulane football on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Â
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
                                                     - TulaneGreenWave -
Â
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballTulane Tuesday: HC Jon Sumrall - 9/23/25
Tuesday, September 23
Tulane Tuesday: S Bailey Despaine - 9/23/24
Tuesday, September 23
Tulane Tuesday: OL Shadre Hurst - 9/23/25
Tuesday, September 23
Postgame: HC Jon Sumrall and WR Anthony Brown-Stephens - 9/20/25
Sunday, September 21
