Tulane football players now know what they'll be doing this fall -- playing football.

University president Scott Cowen said Friday that the university in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans would field its team as well as operate other athletics programs even though classes won't be possible on the campus for the fall semester.

Students are being allowed to continue classes at hundreds of schools associated with ``nine of the leading higher education associations,'' Cowen said. That will allow the teams to compete.

Logistical details are still to be worked out for the Green Wave football team, which has set up temporary quarters in Dallas as guests of Southern Methodist University.

``We want our athletes to carry the torch, face, and name of Tulane University during this difficult time,'' Cowen said.

He said colleges and universities in Conference USA and outside the conference have offered to help with practice and playing facilities and general support.

``Although this is an extremely complex situation, we are confident we will be able to manage these sports programs throughout the season in a way which showcases the student-athletes and coaches and tells all the wonderful stories of Tulane University,'' league commissioner Britton Banowsky said.

The Green Wave's first game will be Sept. 17 against Mississippi State. It is yet to be determined whether the game, originally scheduled for New Orleans, will be played in Starkville, Miss., or at another venue.

But the players just want to play.

``We need this season,'' Wave quarterback Lester Ricard told in The Times-Picayune. ``I think that will be the ultimate joy, to see us do well this season.''

Linebacker Antonio Mason agreed.

``It's something that we want to do for New Orleans,'' he said. ``A lot of people look at us as not only reps of Tulane, but of New Orleans. People can look at us and say, `Wow, look at that team, they're going on the road, going through all that adversity, and still getting the job done.' ``