Tulane was in the SEC from the early 1930s through the mid‑1960s, specifically as a charter member from the 1933 season until leaving after the 1965 academic year.

Quick Scoop

  • Tulane helped found the Southeastern Conference when it split from the Southern Conference in 1932, with league play beginning in 1933.
  • The Green Wave remained in the SEC through the 1965 season before becoming an independent starting in 1966.
  • During its SEC years, Tulane won three football conference titles (1934, 1939, 1949), reflecting a much stronger historical football profile than many fans realize today.

Timeline Snapshot

  • 1922–1932: Southern Conference member.
  • 1933–1965: Southeastern Conference member (charter member).
  • 1966 onward: Left the SEC, first as an independent and later in leagues like Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference.

In short, if someone asks “when was Tulane in the SEC,” the answer is: from 1933 through 1965, as one of the original founding schools of the conference.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.