Tulane @ Florida International preview

Dontrell Hilliard is joining some elite company at Tulane, which will look to stretch its winning streak to three games Saturday with a non-conference contest at Florida International. Hilliard recently moved into the top five in school history in rushing touchdowns and is poised to do the same in rushing yards for the Green Wave, who will meet the Golden Panthers for the first time.

Hilliard churned out career highs with 175 yards and four touchdowns, including the 25th of his career, as the Green Wave put up 62 points on Tulsa. The senior needs six touchdowns to move into the top three in that category and 143 rushing yards to secure a spot in the top five on that list. Hilliard wasn't the only one of find success on the ground against Tulsa as Darius Bradwell, Johnathan Brantley, Stephon Huderson and quarterback Jonathan Banks each ran for a score and the team finished with 488 rushing yards as coach Willie Fritz earned his 200th career victory. The Golden Panthers saw their three-game win streak go by the wayside after it allowed a Middle Tennessee linebacker to run for three scores out of the wildcat formation in a Conference USA game.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV. LINE: Tulane -13.5

ABOUT TULANE (3-2): With the running game averaging a healthy 5.7 yards per carry and accounting for 18 touchdowns on the season, Banks hasn't had to do much with his arm. The junior has attempted 55 passes, completing 32 for 466 yards and four touchdowns while the backups Brantley and Khalil McClain have 20 attempts between them. Hilliard, Sherman Badie and the rest of the Green Wave runners should have no problem eclipsing 100 yards for the 21st straight game against an FIU defense that has surrendered 170.2 yards per game this season.

ABOUT FIU (3-2): Despite the presence of a senior quarterback and running back, the Golden Panthers have struggled to find the end zone in their first season under coach Butch Davis. Through five games, FIU has scored a total of 11 touchdowns with eight of those coming from the arm and legs of quarterback Alex McGough and three from senior wide receiver Thomas Owens. Alex Gardner, who is first in school history in rushing attempts (575) and yards (2,578) and third in touchdowns (17), has only one TD this season after notching 15 in the past two years.

EXTRA POINTS

1. NFL RBs Orleans Darkwa and Matt Forte sit atop the Tulane career rushing touchdown list with 39 apiece while Mewelde Moore is tops with 4,364 rushing yards.

2. The Green Wave, who are 6-1 under Fritz when scoring 30 or more points, have a chance to start 4-2 for only the third time in the last 20 seasons (1998, 2013).

3. Tulane junior WR Terren Encalade, who has caught at least one pass in 14 straight games, had the longest reception of his career with a 62-yard touchdown catch against Tulsa.

PREDICTION: Tulane 41, FIU 23