Tulane visits SMU for regular season finale

TULANE CONCLUDES REGULAR SEASON AT SMU ON SATURDAY
• The Green Wave hits the road on Saturday for their final game of the 2019 regular season, as they take on SMU at 3 p.m. in Dallas.
• Tulane’s matchup with SMU will mark the 26th all-time meeting between the two teams.
• The Green Wave will look to snap their three-game road losing streak.
• Tulane will look to collect its first win at SMU since a 41-34 overtime victory back on Oct. 20, 2007.
• The Green Wave will be in search of their first win over SMU since 2012. Tulane has dropped each of the last four meetings.
• Tulane will look to win its seventh game of the season, which would mark the first time since the 1997 and 1998 seasons it has won seven-or-more games in back-to-back seasons.
• The Green Wave enter their matchup with SMU following a 34-31 setback last week at home against UCF, which snapped the Green Wave’s seven-game home winning streak.

FIRST AND 10
1. With a victory over SMU, Tulane’s 2019 seniors would have the most wins for a graduating class this century.
2. Senior quarterback Justin McMillan is 11-6 as a starter for the Green Wave.
3. McMillan leads the Green Wave with 12 rushing touchdowns. He is one of only four quarterbacks in the Football Bowl Subdivision that have rushed for 12-or-more touchdowns. McMillan is tied for 17th nationally among all players.
4. The Green Wave is the only school in the American Athletic Conference to have six different running backs rush for 200-or-more yards.
5. Tulane’s defensive unit has registered three touchdowns this season, which leads The American and ranks ninth among all FBS teams.
6. The Green Wave have surpassed 400 yards of total offense 24 times since the start of the 2016 season. Tulane owns a 19-5 record in those games.
7. Sophomore Amare Jones ranks third in the American Athletic Conference and 30th nationally in all-purpose yards, averaging 129.3 yards per game.
8. Tulane has rushed for at least 100 yards in 51 consecutive games dating back to the end of the 2015 season. The Green Wave had 221 rushing yards in their last game against UCF.
9. The Green Wave enters their matchup with SMU having rushed for over 250 yards in seven of the last 13 games (337 vs. UL-Lafayette -2018, 350 vs. FIU, 298 vs. Missouri State, 325 vs. Houston, 324 vs. Army, 311 vs. UConn and 290 vs. Tulsa).
10. Tulane’s defensive unit has held seven of its 11 opponents under their season average in total yards (FIU, Auburn, Missouri State, Army, UConn, Tulsa and SMU).

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SCOUTING SMU
• The Mustangs enter their matchup with Tulane, having won 14 of their last 20 games.
• SMU is 9-2 for the first time since 1983, it’s the best start since going 10-1 to begin that season before finishing 10-2. It is the most wins since 1984 (10-2).
• SMU’s two losses have come by a combined 13 points.
• SMU has scored 479 points this season, which ranks second all-time in program history.
• Head coach Sonny Dykes is in his second season with the Mustangs and his ninth overall leading a program. He has a career record of 55-55.
• Junior quarterback Shane Buechele, who transferred from the University of Texas has led the SMU charge in 2019 throwing for multiple touchdowns in a school record 10 straight games. His 3,446 yards passing rank fourth all-time for a single season at SMU.
• Buechele’s favorite target in 2019 has been senior wide receiver James Proche. Proche is the NCAA active career leader in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns.
• Senior safety Patrick Nelson leads the SMU defensive charge with 10 sacks on the year.

RECAPPING TULANE’S LAST MATCHUP VS. SMU
• The Tulane football team led for 47 minutes, but SMU scored a game-winning touchdown pass with 1:15 remaining to take their first lead of the game and escape with a 27-23 victory at Yulman Stadium in 2018.
• Darius Bradwell was the Green Wave’s top rusher on the day, reaching 72 yards on 13 carries including two carries for more than 20 yards and a touchdown.
• In the air, quarterback Jonathan Banks finished with a 14-of-22 effort, throwing for 153 yards.
• Terren Encalade was the team’s top receiver with 39 yards on four catches.
• On defense, Donnie Lewis Jr. Had a team-high seven tackles and his first career interception return for a touchdown. Roderic Teamer Jr. tallied six tackles and Patrick Johnson had five.
• Tulane also got a rushing touchdown from Banks early in the fourth quarter.
• Following that touchdown, Tulane held a 23-14 lead, but SMU answered on the next drive to cut Tulane’s lead to just 23-21, and a 67-yard receiving touchdown from Ben Hicks to James Proche with 1:15 remaining sealed the game for SMU.