Take Two for Tulane

UCF and Tulane will square off for the eighth time Saturday in Orlando. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. at Bright House Networks Stadium, and it will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

This game was scheduled to be played Oct. 7. But with Hurricane Matthew bearing down on Florida, school and conference officials postponed the game to Nov. 5. Both the Green Wave and Knights originally had a bye on Nov. 5.

UCF enters the contest 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the American Athletic Conference, while Tulane is also 3-5 overall and 0-4 in The American. UCF is coming off another tough loss, 31-24, at Houston. Tulane also lost in heart-breaking fashion last week, as visiting SMU scored 14 points in the final 6:24 for a 35-31 victory.

The ground game may be a factor in the contest. Tulane enters the game with the No. 16 rushing offense in the nation. The Knights feature a defense that ranks No. 36 nationally against the run. 

Both defensive units are stout, as well. Tulane ranks No. 37 in the nation and No. 4 in The American in total defense, allowing 368.6 yards per game. UCF is No. 34 in the country and No. 3 in The American in that category, giving up 366.0 ypg.

THE SERIES
Saturday marks the eighth meeting between Tulane and UCF on the gridiron. The Knights lead the all-time series 5-2. The Green Wave have never defeated UCF in Orlando, with the Knights holding a 3-0 home record in the series. 

Last year's game saw Tulane pick up a 45-31 victory in New Orleans. The Green Wave scored 17 points in 2 1/2 minutes in the first half and 14 in less than one minute in the second. Those two outbursts were enough to defeat UCF.

The last time these two teams met in Orlando (during the 2014 season), the Knights escaped with a 20-13 win.

SCOUTING THE GREEN WAVE
The Green Wave are a gritty team, pounding the rock on the offense and stifling opponents on the defensive end with toughness.

Offensively, Tulane enters the game with the No. 16 rushing offense in the nation. Junior Dontrell Hilliard leads the ground attack, averaging 80 yards a game and has eight touchdowns on the season. Redshirt seniors Josh Rounds and Lazedrick Thompson are also threats, averaging over six yards per rush.

Tulane ranks No. 37 in the nation and No. 4 in The American in total defense, allowing 368.6 yards per game. Nico Marley achors the defense, leading the Green Wave with 62 tackles and 9.5 tackles-for-loss this season.

LAST TIME OUT
It was a tale of two halves last weekend in Houston. UCF forced three turnovers in the first half en route to a 21-3 halftime lead, but four Knights turnovers led to a 28-point second half for Houston. The Cougars came back to defeat the Knights, 31-24.

Early in the second half, it looked like more of the same from the first two periods. The Knights forced a fumble deep in Houston territory on the first possession of the third quarter and had a chance to score on the play, but were unable to scoop the ball up. UCF converted that miscue into a field goal.
 
From there, it was all Houston. The Cougars got two touchdown runs and a TD pass from quarterback Greg Ward, Jr. to lead the comeback.

UCF was clinging to a 24-17 lead heading into the fourth quarter. But a Knights defense that was on the field for nearly 18 minutes in the second half – 9:12 in the third quarter alone – wore down a bit. The Cougars' Duke Catalon scored early in the fourth quarter after a McKenzie Milton fumble to tie it at 24-24. Ward capped a 59-yard march on the next possession to put Houston on top for the first time, 31-24, with 7:27 left.
 
The Knights moved inside the Houston 35-yard line, but the drive stalled and Houston was able to run out the clock to take the victory.