Tulane @ SMU preview
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 13, 2012 ) Southern Methodist 26, Tulane 27
Tulane coach Curtis Johnson hopes the momentum of a game-winning drive last week will carry into the Green Wave's road game at SMU on Saturday. The Green Wave snapped a five-game losing streak by beating Army with a field goal as time expired.
"You look at being on the road at a place like (Army) which was packed (and the offense was) all just cool under pressure," Johnson told the media Tuesday. "It was just one of those things that you can hopefully build off of." It was Tulane's first road win of the season and might give the Green Wave a lift as they prepare to face their old Conference USA rival. The Mustangs have lost eight straight despite averaging 29 points during that span. SMU hasn't improved on last year's 1-11 record yet but has better offensive stats (128.9 more yards of total offense and 17.3 more points per game).
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPNews. LINE: SMU -3
ABOUT TULANE (3-7, 1-5 AAC): Tanner Lee has thrown for 1,536 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games while receivers Teddy Veal and Devon Breaux have combined for 64 catches for 985 yards and seven scores. Tulane has 21 sacks in the its past seven games and averages eight tackles for loss per game. Nico Marley (team-high 70 tackles, 12 for loss), Tanzel Smart (13 tackles for loss) and Royce LaFrance (12 tackles for loss) rank among the league's top six in tackles for loss.
ABOUT SMU (1-9, 0-6): Quarterback Matt Davis leads SMU with 582 rushing yards and nine scores to go with 2,070 passing yards, 16 TDs and six interceptions. Redshirt freshman Courtland Sutton has a team-best 42 catches for 772 yards and nine touchdowns and has at least one TD catch in seven games this season. The Mustangs, who allow 521.5 yards of total offense, have given up 49.4 points during their losing streak.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Mustangs have blocked three kicks (two extra-point attempts, one field goal) in the past four games.
2. Tulane averages 39 points in its three wins but hasn't scored more than 14 points in its seven losses, averaging 9.1 points in those games.
3. SMU's Deion Sanders Jr. moved into fourth place on school's career kickoff return list with 1,456 yards.
PREDICTION: SMU 28, Tulane 24