Tulane @ Syracuse preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 8, 2011 ) Syracuse 37, Tulane 34

Sophomore quarterback Terrel Hunt gets his first career start for Syracuse on Saturday as the Orange face Tulane in search of their second non-conference win in as many weeks. Syracuse demolished Wagner 54-0 last Saturday as Hunt relieved senior Oklahoma transfer Drew Allen on the fourth drive and led the Orange offense to seven consecutive scoring drives. Hunt was 15-for-18 for 265 yards and three touchdowns before returning to the sideline midway through the third quarter.

Tulane counters with Nick Montana, the son of legendary NFL Hall of Fame signal-caller Joe Montana. Making his third career stop after Washington and later a junior college, Montana has thrown seven touchdowns and two interceptions through three games. The Green Wave is coming off a 24-15 win over Louisiana Tech in which Montana threw for for 235 yards and Tulane added 129 on the ground.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC RSN. LINE: Syracuse -14.5.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (1-2): Hunt is complemented by junior running back Jerome Smith, who has rushed for 179 yards and five touchdowns this season. After back-to-back losses against Big-10 teams (Penn State, Northwestern), the Orange put up 595 yards (359 passing, 236 rushing) in its blowout win over the Seahawks. Syracuse also held Wagner to just 87 total yards of offense.

ABOUT TULANE (2-1): No Green Wave player rushed for more than 300 yards last year, but senior Orleans Darkwa has proven to be a reasonable threat on the ground in 2013 with 150 yards through three games. Wide receiver Ryan Grant is the team’s main offensive threat. The senior has already caught 24 balls for 348 yards, seemingly poised for his second straight 1,000-yard season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Six of Syracuse’s last seven starting quarterbacks have lost their first game.

2. Tulane K Cairo Santos may not play after his father died in an airplane crash in Brazil on Monday.

3. Green Wave freshman LB Nico Marley is the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 31, Tulane 20