Cincinnati @ Tulane preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 31, 2014 ) Cincinnati 38, Tulane 14

With its bowl hopes fading, Tulane will look to snap a three-game losing streak when it hosts Cincinnati in an American Athletic Conference game on Saturday. The Green Wave entered last week's contest ranked 12th in the nation in rushing but gained just 122 yards on 55 carries in a 56-26 loss at Memphis.



The loss dropped Tulane to 0-3 on the season against ranked teams but the schedule certainly gets easier for the Green Wave, which must win three of its last four games to earn a postseason bid. Tulane's five losses are against opponents with a combined 31-7 record. The Bearcats have dropped five straight, including its last outing, when SMU converted a fourth-and-26 situation in overtime to set up a deciding field goal in a 31-28 decision. Cincinnati has surrendered at least 31 points in all five of those setbacks.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: Tulane -5.5

ABOUT CINCINNATI (2-6, 0-4 American): Quarterback Hayden Moore has failed to go over 200 yards passing for the past two games but he did throw a pair of scoring passes last week against SMU. The Bearcats must go 4-0 to earn a bowl berth, a quest that is not lost on senior left tackle Korey Cunningham. "We're just trying to win out, get bowl eligible and finish the season on a good note," he told reporters during the week. "Finish my career here at UC on a high note."
ABOUT TULANE (3-5, 1-3): Tulane enters the game ranked fourth in the AAC and 15th nationally in rushing offense at 248 yards per game but it is faced with injury issues on its offensive line. Center Junior Diaz missed last week's game and is questionable for Saturday. Dontrelle Hilliard leads the team with 768 yards rushing on 133 carries and has nine touchdowns.


EXTRA POINTS
1. Tulane is seeking its first homecoming win at Yulman Stadium after dropping the first three contests.
2. Cincinnati rushed for a season-high 249 yards against SMU and held the Mustangs' nationally No. 6-ranked scoring offense (43.6 points per game) to 28 points in regulation.
3. Tulane leads the all-time series 11-4 but this is the first meeting in AAC play.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 27, Tulane 24