ORANGE COUNTY, FL. – The Tulane Green Wave travel to Central Florida Saturday to take on the Knights at 1 p.m. on ESPN2.
TULANE HEADS TO ORLANDO TO TAKE ON UCF
- The Green Wave head to Orlando for their third road game of the year as they take on UCF. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT.
- Tulane’s matchup with UCF marks the second straight season that the Green Wave have played the Knights. The last time Tulane and UCF met in back-to-back seasons was in 2015 and 2016.
- The Green Wave will make their first trip to UCF since 2016.
- The Green Wave will faceoff against UCF for the 10th time. UCF holds a 7-2 all-time series lead.
- Tulane will be in search of its first win at UCF in program history.
- Two of the Green Wave’s three losses this season have been decided by three points or less.
FIRST AND 10
1. Tulane will be in search of its third road win on the year. The Green Wave have not won three road games in a season since 1998.
2. True freshman Michael Pratt will once again get the start at quarterback. He is just the seventh true freshman to start at quarterback since 1975.
3. Pratt will look to become the first true freshman to earn a win as a starter since 1985 (Terrence Jones in 1985 was the last).
4. Tulane has 10 players on its 2020 roster that are from the state of Florida including: Michael Pratt, Levi Williams, Cornelius Dyson, Ygenio Booker, Kanyon Walker, Jesus Machado, Torri Singletary Jr., Stephen Lawerenz, Jaylen Miller and Sterling Stockwell.
5. Tulane’s three-point loss at home last week to SMU marked the team’s third straight loss at home by three points or less.
6. Redshirt sophomore running back Cam Carroll has rushed for no less than two touchdowns in three of the Green Wave’s five games this season. Against Southern Miss, Carroll scored four touchdowns. Carroll ranks fourth in the nation in total touchdowns.
7. Tulane’s special teams’ unit ranks as one of the best in The American. The Green Wave rank third in the league in kick return average (26.5) and rank fourth in punt return average (9.2). In addition, Ryan Wright leads The American in punting, averaging 46.5 yards per punt.
8. Tulane has rushed for over 100 yards in 57 of its last 58 games. Tulane had its 56-game streak of rushing for at least 100 yards snapped at Houston back on Oct. 8.
9. The Green Wave have also surpassed 200 yards rushing in 12 of their last 18 games dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
10. Defensive linemen Patrick Johnson ranks eighth in the nation and first in The American in sacks per game. He has also logged a sack in each of the last three games. Johnson was recognized in the preseason as a Top 250 prospect by the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
SCOUTING UCF
· The Knights enter their matchup with Tulane with the nation’s number one offense, averaging 636.2 yards per game.
· Last week at Memphis, UCF finished the game with 798 yards of total offense.
· UCF QB Dillon Gabriel became the first 600-yard passer in conference history as he threw for a school-and league-record 601 yards with five TD passes and one rushing touchdown against Memphis. Gabriel also set the conference mark with 650 yards of total offense.
· Gabriel currently leads the nation in total offense.
· UCF was picked in the preseason to win The American.
· UCF enters its matchup with Tulane having won 37 times in its last 43 games. The Knights are in the midst of a two-game losing streak. UCF has not lost two straight games since 2016.
· Josh Heupel is in his third year as UCF’s head coach and owns a 24-6 record.
· Defensively, UCF is lead by redshirt seniors Kenny Turnier and Richie Grant. Turnier leads the team in tackles, while Grant leads the team in interceptions and ranks eighth nationally.
{Courtesy: Press Release from Tulane Athletics}
