Tulane hits road to face FIU

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane football goes on the road for its final non-conference matchup of the season against FIU. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT Saturday at Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami, Fla.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
The game will be broadcast on the Tulane IMG Sport Network, which can be heard anywhere via TuneIn Radio, or in New Orleans on Sports 1280 AM New Orleans and through iHeart Radio. Live video will be available online at CUSA.tv. A 24-hour pass to CUSA.tv can be purchased for $6.95.

ABOUT TULANE
•     Tulane looks to move its record to 4-2 through the first six games for just the third time in the last 20 seasons (1998, 2013).
•     A win over FIU would give the Green Wave their first three-game winning streak under head coach Willie Fritz and their first since winning four straight during the 2013 season.
•     Tulane has scored 30 or more points seven times in 17 games under Fritz. The Green Wave have a 6-1 record in those games with the one loss coming on a 35-31 setback to SMU on Oct. 29, 2016.
•    Tulane has rushed for 100 or more yards in 20 straight games, dating back to the final three games of the 2015 season. The Green Wave have rushed for 190+ yards and two rushing touchdowns in each of its first five games this season.
•    The Green Wave now forced a turnover in six consecutive games, dating back to the final game of last season at UConn on Nov. 26, 2016.
•    Tulane ranks second in the nation in turnovers lost with two (one fumble lost and one interception). Alabama ranks first with one fumble lost.
•    With the win over Tulsa, Fritz recorded his 200th on-field victory in his 25th season as a head coach. Of his 200 wins, 63 have come on the NCAA Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision).

ABOUT THE PANTHERS
•    In Saturday’s matchup with Tulane, FIU is playing just its second true home game this season. The Panthers played their first three games away from home. FIU was scheduled to play its home opener on Sept. 9, its second game of the season, against Alcorn State. That game, however, was moved to Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., due to Hurricane Irma. The Panthers were scheduled to face Indiana in Bloomington on Sept. 16, but that game was cancelled due to Hurricane Irma.
•    Senior running back Alex Gardner enters the game ranked at the top of the school’s lists in career rushing yards (2,578, 1st), rushing attempts (576, 1st), and rushing touchdowns (17 – 3rd).
•    Senior quarterback Alex McGough enters the game ranked in the school’s top three in career completions (664 , 3rd), pass attempts (1,127, 2nd), passing yards (7,409, 3rd) and is the school’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns (52 ,1st).
•    The 2017 season marks the return of Butch Davis to the sidelines. Davis, who was named head coach of the Panthers on Nov. 15, 2016, returns to the field for the first time since the 2010 season when he was the head coach at North Carolina. Davis spent seven seasons in Chapel Hill with the Tar Heels and six seasons at the helm at Miami (Fla.).

SERIES NOTES
•     Tulane and FIU are meeting for the first time on the gridiron.
•    The Green Wave are playing a game in Miami for the first time since a 13-10 win at Miami (Fla. ) on Nov. 5, 1977. That victory is Tulane’s only win in six previous games played in Miami (1959, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1972 and 1977).
•     Tulane, a member of Conference USA from 1996-2013, holds a 40-58-1 record against current C-USA members – UAB (5-4), Florida Atlantic (0-1), Louisiana Tech (8-0), Marshall (0-4), North Texas (0-1), Rice (15-20-1), Southern Miss (7-23), UTEP (4-5), UTSA (0-1).
•     The Green Wave’s last conference win as a member of Conference USA was a 45-3 triumph over UTEP on Nov. 23, 2013.
•     The head coaches in this matchup (Willie Fritz and Butch Davis) are meeting for the first time.