Tulane @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 18, 2017 ) Houston 17, Tulane 20

Tulane and host Houston both need a win in Thursday's American Athletic Conference meeting to stay in the hunt for the league's West Division title. The Green Wave's three-game win streak and Houston's two straight losses have set up a logjam atop the West with SMU, which holds the tiebreaker over both.

Junior quarterback Justin McMillan has won all three games since taking over as starter but its the Green Wave defense that's made a difference. Tulane has allowed 16.6 points during the win streak and set an NCAA record with 20 pass breakups last week. Houston's defense has been the problem for the Cougars, allowing 104 points and 1,051 yards in losses to SMU and Temple. All-American defensive lineman Ed Oliver hasn't played in three weeks (bruised knee) and the Cougars are without two other starting defensive lineman as Jerard Carter and Isaiah Chambers are lost of the season with injuries.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Houston -10

ABOUT TULANE (5-5, 4-2 American): McMillan has 721 passing yards, six passing touchdowns (including scores for 86, 73 and 79 yards last week) and no interceptions in six appearances. Darnell Mooney and Terren Encalade - who had a late touchdown catch last season to beat the Cougars - have all of 11 TD receptions for the Green Wave. Senior cornerback Donnie Lewis Jr. has a team-best three interceptions and 15 pass breakups - including six last week - while sophomore end Patrick Johnson is second in the American with nine sacks.

ABOUT HOUSTON (7-3, 4-2): Junior quarterback D'Eriq King (2,900 passing yards) leads the nation with 35 passing touchdowns and has added another 13 on the ground as the Cougars are ranked second nationally in total offense (546.1 yards). King's 10-game run with at least one rushing score is the nation's longest active streak while the Cougars have six receivers with multiple touchdown catches. The Cougars have forced at least one turnover in all 10 games but their recent struggles have dropped them to last nationally in passing yards allowed (314.1) and 124th in red-zone defense (allowing 42 scores in 45 trips).

EXTRA POINTS

1. King needs four touchdown passes to break the American's single-season record of 38 (Memphis' Riley Ferguson, 2017). He broke the league's record for touchdowns responsible for last week.

2. Tulane has rushed for at least 100 yards in 38 straight games.

3. The Green Wave held their past three opponents to fewer than 20 points, joining California, Clemson, Georgia and Michigan with that distinction.

PREDICTION: Houston 41, Tulane 38