Tulane @ East Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 12, 2013 ) East Carolina 33, Tulane 36

East Carolina’s dreams of an American Athletic Conference title have taken a big hit over the last two weeks as the offense and defense have taken turns disappointing. The Pirates will try to avoid a third straight loss when they host Tulane on Saturday. The Green Wave did East Carolina no favors by putting up little fight in a homecoming loss to Memphis last week and are among the lowest-scoring teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Pirates already are bowl eligible but had their undefeated run in the AAC come to an end in a 20-10 loss at Temple on Nov. 1 before dropping a 54-46 shootout at Cincinnati last weekend. "Both losses were different in my mind,” East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill told reporters. “The Temple loss was turnovers, and we didn't operate well. This game was a game of opportunities, and we no doubt had opportunities that we missed.” Tulane is dealing with some inconsistency from freshman quarterback Tanner Lee as it moves forward with a young team.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: East Carolina -18

ABOUT TULANE (3-7, 2-4 AAC): Lee threw three interceptions – two of which were returned for touchdowns – without a TD pass at home last week, marking the second time this season he has had the dreaded no-TD, three-INT line next to his name. “Our kids, and especially our quarterback, did not learn from their early mistakes (against Memphis),” Green Wave coach Curtis Johnson told reporters. “…Our quarterback did not play well at all today. I still love him, and I just told him that the sun is going to come up tomorrow." The dud against the Tigers came after Lee threw three TDs with one interception in a 31-24 win at Houston the previous game.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (6-3, 3-2): The Pirates are second in the nation in passing yards, averaging 368.3 behind Shane Carden, but the pass defense was the issue as Cincinnati threw for 436 in last week’s setback. East Carolina is eighth out of 11 teams in the AAC is passing defense, surrendering an average of 264.1 yards. "We divide our seasons into quarters and we are in our fourth quarter,” McNeill told reporters. “It's almost like a boxing match to us right now. …The first punch will be Tulane this week."

EXTRA POINTS

1. East Carolina has lost 13 in a row when scoring 20 or fewer points.

2. Tulane RB Dontrell Hilliard has scored in back-to-back games.

3. Carden threw for 480 yards but had his lone interception returned 99 yards for a TD in a 36-33 triple-OT loss at Tulane last season.

PREDICTION: East Carolina 34, Tulane 10