GAME PREVIEW: TULSA – TULANE TONIGHT

Photo by: Brett Rojo

GAME PREVIEW: TULSA – TULANE TONIGHT

11/19/2020 9:10:00 AM | Football

TULSA HOSTS TULANE THURSDAY NIGHT IN KEY AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MATCHUP

GAME 6: TULSA (4-1, 4-0 American) vs. TULANE (5-4, 2-4 American)
Date/Time:	Friday, Nov. 19, 6:31 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Stadium:	Skelly Field @ H.A. Chapman Stadium
Coaches:	TULSA – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 6th year TULANE – Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State '83), 5th year
TV:	ESPN or WatchESPN
Talent:	Anish Shroff (pxp), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Ian Fitzsimmons (sideline)
Tickets:	Buy HERE
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM or Online
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Virtual Program:	Game Day Program
Series:	Tulsa leads 11-5
First Meeting:	Nov. 9, 1968 (Tulane 25, Tulsa 15), New Orleans, La.
Last Meeting:	Nov. 2, 2019 (Tulane 38, Tulsa 26), New Orleans, La.
Game Notes:	Tulsa (PDF) \| Tulane (PDF) \| American Athletic Conference (PDF)
Post-Game Press Conference:	Live Post-Game Press Conference

Tulsa and Tulane meet in a primetime Thursday night contest with a lot at stake for the Golden Hurricane in the American Athletic Conference standings.

The nation's No. 25th-ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane comes into the game with an overall 4-1 record and 4-0 mark in AAC play, while Tulane is riding a 3-game winning streak and is 5-4 overall on the season. Cincinnati is one-up in the win column with a 5-0 AAC mark heading into their showdown at UCF on Saturday.

The two teams are coming off of impressive wins against ranked opponents. Tulane defeated USA Today Coaches poll No. 25 Army, while the Hurricane handed the Associated Press' No. 19 SMU Mustangs a 28-24 setback. For both teams its just 4 days between games.

Tonight's game shapes up to be a fight between two teams that are led by their defenses, while each offense can score a lot of points and has shown the ability to put up points quickly. Tulane scores 36+ points a game, while Tulsa tallies a 29.0 average.

Tulsa's defense will go up against a Tulane offensive unit that has gotten better and better as the season has progressed, scoring 30+ points in the last 6 games, including 38 in their last 3 victories.

Tulane has found their future quarterback as freshman Michael Pratt has become a star in his rookie season having passed for 1,308 yards and 14 touchdowns with just 4 interceptions in leading the Green Wave to a 4-3 record as the starter.

The Tulane offense has put up 404.3 yards in its 9 games, including 224 on the ground and 180.2 passing yards.

The backfield has a one-two punch as Stephen Huderson leads the ground game with 548 yards and 6 TDs for a 6.6 average per attempt, while his sidekick Cameron Carroll gains 542 yards on the ground, a 5.6 average per carry and a team-high 10 touchdowns.

Slotback Amare Jones has rushed for 314 yards and a 5.9 average per carry, while also catching 11 passes for a 7.9 average per reception.

The offensive front paves the way for the Wave run game and is led by returning starters at center with Sincere Haynesworth and on the left side with 4-year starter Corey Dublin at guard and 6'6" tackle Joey Claybrook.

Pratt's top target has been 6'2" junior Duece Watts with 448 yards, a 17.2 average per catch and 5 TDs, while Jha'Quan Jackson has caught 25 passes for 298 yards and also has 5 scores to lead the Green Wave receiving corps.

The Hurricane defense is second in the American Athletic Conference for total defense allowing 371.2 yards per game, rushing with a 135.0 average and scoring by holding opponents to 21.8 points per game.

Tulsa's three-time AAC defensive player of the week and the reigning Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, 6'4" junior linebacker Zaven Collins, leads the Tulsa defensive unit.

Zaven Collins against UCF — Zaven Collins

Last week, Collins had 6 stops, 2 TFLs for -10 yards, one sack for -9 yards and the game-sealing interception that ended 19^th-ranked SMU's final drive. Through 5 games this season, Collins has totaled 33 tackles, 10 TFLs for -45 yards, 4 sacks for -25 yards, 3 interceptions for 56 return yards, 2 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one safety.

Collins is not the only linebacker making an impact on the defensive side of the ball for the Hurricane. Fellow starters Justin Wright and Treyvon Reeves have combined for 55 tackles, 6 TFLs and 2 pass breakups. Grant Sawyer, Robert Revels III and Dorian Hopkins have also seen consistent playing time at linebacker.

Upfront for Tulsa in its 3-3-5 defensive scheme are two players with multiple starting assignments –– junior Jaxon Player and senior Tyarise Stevenson. The duo has been solid upfront in Tulsa's first 5 games, combining for 23 tackles and 4.5 TFLs for -12 yards.

Anthony Goodlow has started the last three games, while fellow end Cullen Wick returned to the lineup last week after missing 2 games with an injury. Goodlow has 16 tackles, 4.5 TFLs for -18 yards and 3 sacks for -16 yards, while gaining a ton of experience in Wick's absence. True freshmen Everitt Rogers at nose tackle and Haydon Grant at end as well as redshirt freshmen RaQuan Thompson and Cooper Laake are young players that have filled in on the front line.

The secondary, led by corners Allie Green IV and Akayleb Evans, have been up to the challenge each week, showcasing why they're considered one of the top pair of corners in the AAC.

Green and Evans are big, tall corners that possess good speed and skills to handle opposing receivers. The duo has combined for 32 tackles this year, while Green had his first career interception earlier this season. The pair has multiple starts over the last 4 years for the Hurricane, while Tyon Davis and Ryan Nixon spell the two starters.

Strong safety Kendarin Ray leads the Hurricane with 36 tackles and has 4 pass breakups, while senior TieNeal Martin, who returned to the lineup last week, has totaled 17 tackles and a team-high 5 breakups in just three games from his free safety spot. Lamar Mullins and Jaise Oliver provide solid production in backup roles.

The nickel safety position is manned by Cristian Williams, Bryson Powers and Daiquain Jackson. The starter Williams has 21 total tackles, while Powers and Jackson have combined for 20 tackles.

Offensively, it's been well documented that the Hurricane has not come out of the gate very strong in starting games. Tulsa will need to get off to a solid start against a stout Tulane defense this week.

Tulsa has scored just 10 offensive points in the first quarter but has totaled 96 points in the middle two periods. On the year, Tulsa averages 250.2 yards through the air and 161.8 on the ground for 412 total yards, while scoring 29.0 points per game.

Senior quarterback Zach Smith has completed 61.5-percent of his passes for 1,249 yards, an average of 249.8 yards per game and 10 TDs. Last year, Smith passed for 3,279 yards and 19 TDs with a 131.9 pass efficiency and just 9 interceptions.

The Hurricane front-line, averaging 6-feet, 3-inches and 342 pounds and led by tackles Chris Paul on the right side and Tyler Smith on the left, is charged with protecting Smith and paving the way for the Hurricane run game. Tulsa's line will have its hands full against a defensive front that has the Green Wave leading the league in sacks with 3.2 per game.

Ever since the school's 5^th-leading rusher Shamari Brooks went down with a season-ending knee injury prior to the opener, Tulsa's run game has been by committee.

Tulsa has a trio of running backs that have shared the load for the Hurricane this season. Texas A&M transfer Deneric Prince leads the way with 336 yards, a 5.3 average and 2 TDs in 5 games. He had a season-high 109 yards and 2 TDs on 15 carries for a 7.3 average in a reserve role at USF.

T.K. Wilkerson has gained 291 yards and 4 TDs, while Corey Taylor II has totaled 128 yards, a 5.1 average and 2 touchdowns in limited time due to injury. In his career, Taylor has 1,618 yards and is ranked 10^th in school history for rushing TDs with 24.

Freshman redshirt Christian Lovick and Missouri transfer Anthony Watkins add depth at the running back slot.

A quartet of Tulsa receivers has been the main targets for Smith this year, led by senior Keylon Stokes with 28 receptions for 428 yards and two TDs, followed by junior Josh Johnson with 313 yards and 4 TDs on 125 receptions. The duo each went over 100 yards last week in the SMU win as Stokes led the way with 122 yards on 8 catches and Johnson had 101 yards and 2 TDs on 8 receptions.

Fellow juniors Sam Crawford Jr. and JC Santana have combined for 435 yards and 3 TDs on 31 receptions.

A young, but talented tight end position is led by James Palmer, Ethan Hall and Abe Anderson.

Like Tulsa, Tulane's defense is one of the top units in The American. The Green Wave rank right behind Tulsa for scoring defense (27.6) and is fourth in the league for rushing defense, allowing 145.0 yards, and total defense with 421.7 yards.

An active Green Wave defense has totaled 78 TFLs for a whopping 313 yards, while recording 30 sacks and forcing 14 turnovers.

Tulane's defensive front "will be the best we've faced this year," said Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery. The veteran defensive front is led by 6'3", 330-pound junior Jeffery Johnson at nose tackle. DeAndre Williams, Cameron Sample and Patrick Johnson round out the front line.

The quartet has combined for 124 tackles and 28.5 TFLs for -159 yards. Johnson has team highs of 13.5 TFLs for -77 yards and 10 sacks among his 34 total tackles, while Samples has 44 stops, Johnson 24 and Williams 22 stops.

Linebackers Dorian Williams, Nick Anderson and Marvin Moody have benefited from the strong line performance. Williams has a team-high of 64 tackles with 12.5 for -34 lost yards, while Anderson is second on the Green Wave tackle list with 62 stops and 8.5 TFLs. Moody had 59 stops.

The Tulane secondary is just as veteran a group as the defensive line and linebacker corps. Corners Jaylon Monroe and Willie Langham have combined for 10 pass breakups 45 tackles and 2 interceptions, while the safety corps is led by senior Chase Kuerschen with 59 stops.

This matchup kicks off the college football weekend on what will be a beautiful fall night in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with temperatures starting out at game time near 65 degrees.

The game kicks off at 6:31 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.