Pinned
Link copied
Tulane has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. The Tulane Green Wave and the Memphis Tigers will face off in an American Athletic battle at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Tulane is coming into the match hot, having won their last three games.
Tulane gave up the first points two Saturdays ago, but they didn't let that get them down. They came out on top against UAB by a score of 35-23. The victory came about thanks to a strong surge in the second quarter to overcome a 20-7 deficit.
Tulane's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Michael Pratt, who threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns, and Makhi Hughes, who rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns. That's the first time this season that Hughes rushed for 100 or more yards.
Meanwhile, Memphis gave up the first points two Saturdays ago, but they didn't let that get them down. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 35-32 victory over Boise State. The win was all the more spectacular given Memphis was down 17 points with 6:17 left in the second quarter.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Memphis to victory, but perhaps none more so than Seth Henigan, who threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Memphis also got help from Demeer Blankumsee who showed off his sure hands for 83 receiving yards.
Their wins lifted both teams to an identical 4-1.
Looking ahead, Tulane is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by four points. This contest will be their fourth straight as the favorites (so far over this stretch they are 1-2 against the spread).
Tulane beat Memphis 38-28 in their previous meeting last October. The rematch might be a little tougher for Tulane since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
