Even Tulane punter Alec Clark, who was not on the team last season, understands the special significance of the American Conference championship game to anyone who played in the same contest against Army a year ago.

Sure, the stakes would be huge regardless, with a first-ever College Football Player berth awaiting the winner between the 20th-ranked Green Wave (10-2) and No. 24 North Texas (11-1) on Friday night at Yulman Stadium (7 p.m., ABC).

But this one means more after 365 days of an empty feeling. Tulane did not just lose in West Point, New York, it got embarrassed, falling 35-14 on a bitterly cold night as a four-point favorite while giving up touchdowns on five of Army’s first six possessions.

“Every time the championship is brought up from last season, you can tell the guys we

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