Week 13: Tulsa at Tulane

Tulane is winless on the road in Conference USA this season and Tulsa is going to be on a mission to erase back-to-back disastrous games. The combination doesn't bode well for the Green Wave.

The Golden Hurricane dropped out of the Top 25 and the BCS standings after being upset at Arkansas three weeks ago and last weekend Tulsa was unexpectedly overwhelmed by Houston, which knocked off the Golden Hurricane, 70-30.

Expect Tulsa to hold back nothing as it attempts to reassert itself as the team to beat in the C-USA West Division. Tulsa, despite the shocking loss to Houston, can win the West by closing with wins over Tulane and Marshall and having Houston lose at least one of its remaining two games. The Cougars play host to UTEP and finish at Rice.

Tulsa suffered five turnovers and allowed 641 yards in the loss to Houston. Tulane's injury riddled offense won't come close to matching those numbers, but the Golden Hurricane likely won't struggle as much against a Green Wave team averaging 18.7 points per game.

Notes

Tulane redshirt freshman running back J.T. McDonald, playing in place of injured starter Andre Anderson, rushed 12 times for 41 yards and scored three touchdowns against UAB.

Tulsa quarterback David Johnson tossed four touchdown passes in a losing effort against Houston to boost his season total to 37. Paul Smith set the school record with 47 last season.

Tulane quarterbacks Kevin Moore and Scott Elliott struggled against UAB. Moore was picked off three times and Elliott once.

Tulsa remains the nation's top offense averaging 584 yards per game. The Golden Hurricane ranks second in scoring at 49.8 points.

Key Player (Green Wave) — Kevin Moore, QB

If the Green Wave hopes to have any chance of keeping Tulsa from scoring 50 points, the offense will have to stay on the field. If Moore is able to move the offense, mixing in enough passes to complement J.T. McDonald's running, there's a chance the outcome won't be terribly lopsided. If not, it could be ugly.

Key Player (Golden Hurricane) — David Johnson, QB

In an uncharacteristic game for Johnson, the Tulsa quarterback was picked off twice and held to 271 yards passing, or about 55 below his average. Johnson remains one of the nation's top quarterbacks, but he can't afford to have interceptions returned for touchdowns as he did against Houston.

Tulsa by 26