Navy @ Tulsa preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2006 ) Tulsa 24, Navy 23

Keenan Reynolds is working his way up the history lists while guiding Navy to its best start in 52 years. The Midshipmen attempt to secure their ninth win in 10 games this season when they travel to Tulsa on Saturday.

Navy is the highest-ranked Group of Five team at No. 16 in the College Football Playoff rankings and controls its own destiny for a spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game. The Midshipmen have not started 9-1 since Roger Staubach was under center in 1963, and Reynolds is giving the team another standout at quarterback while playing a different style in the triple-option offense. The Golden Hurricane are in no position to slow Reynolds and the rushing attack, and enter the weekend 116th in FBS in rushing defense with an average of 220.6 yards allowed. Tulsa was shredded for 266 yards on the ground and five rushing touchdowns in a 49-38 loss at Cincinnati last week.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network LINE: Navy -12

ABOUT NAVY (8-1, 6-0 AAC): Reynolds ran for four scores in last week’s 55-14 win over SMU, giving him 81 for his career and moving him ahead of former Wisconsin great Montee Ball and into first place on the all-time list. The senior needs three more touchdowns to move past Ball for first place in the total touchdowns (rushing and receiving) category on the all-time FBS list. The Midshipmen’s average of 335 yards on the ground ranks second in FBS, and they have had nine different players score on the ground this season.

ABOUT TULSA (5-5, 2-4): The Golden Hurricane are having a hard time getting stops but the offense continues to keep the team in games. Tulsa is averaging 41.3 points in its last four games – 2-2 – and quarterback Dane Evans threw eight of his 19 touchdown passes in that span. Evans is carrying a heavier load due running back Zack Langer’s hamstring issues, but freshman Ramadi Warren is picking up some of the slack with 307 yards and five touchdowns on the ground in the last two contests.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Reynolds (4,114) needs 66 rushing yards to move past Napoleon McCallum and into first place on Navy’s all-time list.

2. Golden Hurricane WR Keyarris Garrett (2785) needs 168 yards to move into third place on the school’s all-time list.

3. The teams are meeting for the first time since Sep. 23, 2006, when the Golden Hurricane grabbed a 24-23 win in overtime.

PREDICTION: Navy 45, Tulsa 38