The team, which was led by fourth-year head coach Bernie Bierman, posted an 8–1 record and shared the Southern Conference (SoCon) title with national champion Alabama.

[1] Times-Picayune sports writer Pete Baird called the 1930 squad "the best team that ever represented the Olive and Blue".

After the end of the previous season, at the annual alumni banquet, center Loyd Roberts was elected captain of the defending SoCon champion Tulane football team.

[5] This year's backfield would include quarterback Red Dawson, triple-threat halfbacks Wop Glover and Don Zimmerman, and fullback Nollie Felts.

[11] On the line, the team consisted of veterans such as ends Dalrymple and Jack Holland, center Roberts and guard Maury Bodenger, and the only newcomer John Scafide.

[13] Sources:[23] Tulane was defeated by Big Ten co-champion Northwestern, 14–0, its only loss this season, breaking a school-record 10-game winning steak.

[1][b] After a scoreless first quarter, Tulane quarterback Red Dawson's pass was intercepted by Northwestern's Hank Bruder, who returned 54 yd (49 m) for a touchdown.

[22][24][25] Northwestern's quarterback Pug Rentner, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, scored the next touchdown.

[22] Glover then ran 62 yd (57 m), sweeping around the left end after a fake pass, behind a devastating block by Dalrymple.

[31] Sources:[22] On October 25 at Grant Field, Atlanta, Tulane won its first victory over Georgia Tech 28–0.

[32] Several attractions were held in Atlanta due to an influx of people from New Orleans; with Moina Michael, who conceived the idea of using poppies as a symbol of remembrance for those who served in World War I, as guest of honor.

[37] In the fourth quarter, Dalrymple and Holland stopped Tech quarterback Earl Dunlap for a safety.

At another point, Zimmerman fumbled the ball at Auburn's 1-yard (0.91 m) line; this was recovered by Jimmy Hitchcock for a touchback.

[41] According to one account, "Two of Tulane's scores came as the results of breaks, one in the second period as Hitchcock got off a poor punt, and another in the final as Hatfield fumbled, both miscues occurring deep in Auburn territory".

[8] Times-Picayune sports writer Pete Baird called the 1930 squad "the best team that ever represented the Olive and Blue".

[50] Maury Bodenger went on to play for the National Football League's Portsmouth Spartans, which later became the Detroit Lions.

[51] Jack Holland took up professional boxing to earn money to finish his Tulane degree and with the ultimate intent of coaching high school football.

[36][d] Red Dawson was elected to the Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame in 1980, as were Wop Glover in 1984, John Scafide in 1985, and Loyd Roberts and Nollie Felts in 1990.

[59] The following chart provides a visual depiction of Tulane's lineup during the 1930 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses.