Memphis @ Tulane preview
Yulman Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 10, 2012 ) Tulane 23, Memphis 37
With one goal accomplished, the surging Memphis Tigers can start pursuing another when they visit struggling Tulane on Saturday in an American Athletic Conference contest. The Tigers became bowl eligible for the first time since 2008 when they rallied from a 10-point deficit to edge Temple 16-13 last week and can now turn their focus to a conference championship. Memphis sits alone atop the AAC at 4-1, with UCF, East Carolina and Cincinnati all 3-1.
With home finales against struggling USF and Connecticut awaiting, Memphis can't afford a misstep against Tulane, which beat a Houston squad last week that toppled the Tigers 28-24 on Oct. 11. "We have a lot to practice and play for," coach Justin Fuente told reporters earlier this week. "I didn't get the sense from the kids at practice that they were ready to take it easy. I got the sense that they were absolutely ready to get back to work and go see what we can accomplish." Memphis certainly has the resume, averaging 33.8 points per game and yielding 17 in conference games -- both best in the league.
TV: 3:30 pm ET, ESPNU. LINE: Memphis –10.5
ABOUT MEMPHIS (6-3, 4-1 AAC): The Tigers had reason to be optimistic after solid early-season performances in a pair of losses to then-11th-ranked UCLA (42-35) and then-No. 12 Mississippi (24-3). The Tigers are riding a three-game win streak and rank fourth in the conference in total offense (432.9) and total defense (344.8). Quarterback Paxton Lynch is third in the AAC in passer efficiency (137.9) with 11 TDs against six interceptions, but his 153.3 passer rating in conference games only is the best in the league.
ABOUT TULANE (3-6, 2-3): The Green Wave's offense woke up last week, scoring 31 points against the Cougars after generating only 58 in their previous five games. Freshmen stole the spotlight as quarterback Tanner Lee threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns, Dontrell Hilliard had 85 yards rushing and 107 yards receiving and Parry Nickerson intercepted two passes, including one in the end zone on the final play of the game. Lee is tied for the conference lead with 10 interceptions and his 118.6 passer rating is eighth best.
EXTRA POINTS1. Memphis has won the last seven matchups in the series dating to 2002.
2. Since coming back from a two-week absence due to a shoulder injury, Lee has completed 68.6 percent of his passes the last two weeks with four TDs and just one pick.
3. Lynch is the third quarterback in Memphis history to pass for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons and RB Brandon Hayes is the eighth Tiger to top 2,000 yards rushing for a career.
PREDICTION: Memphis 28, Tulane 17