Tulane Football Welcomes Second-Ranked Cincinnati on Saturday

Saturday, October 30

New Orleans

11 AM

Tulane University

Cincinnati

Tickets

Tulane Football Welcomes Second-Ranked Cincinnati on Saturday

Oct 26, 2021 | Football

GREEN WAVE FOOTBALL WELCOMES SECOND-RANKED CINCINNATI
-The Green Wave plays host to Cincinnati on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. CT on ESPN2.
-Tulane's matchup with second-ranked Cincinnati will mark the highest ranked opponent to ever play inside Yulman Stadium.
-The last time Tulane faced a Top 5 team at home was against LSU in 2007. The last time the Green Wave played host to a Top 5 opponent on campus was back in 1963 when Tulane welcomed fifth-ranked Ole Miss to New Orleans.
-The Green Wave have never defeated a Top 5 team in the 128-year history of the program.
-Tulane will be in search of its first win over Cincinnati since 2002.
-The Green Wave will faceoff against the Bearcats for the 18th time in program history. Tulane owns an 11-6 all-time series lead.
-Tulane will look to bounce back from its 40-22 loss at home against Houston back on Oct. 7.

FIRST AND 10
1. At the end of the first quarter, Tulane University athletics will recognize the groundbreaking Green Wave football debuts of former athletes Charlie Hall, Charles Inniss, Robert Johnson and John Washington, as they became the first players in program history to break the color barrier.
2. The Green Wave's matchup with Cincinnati will mark the fourth nationally-ranked opponent Tulane has faced this season. Tulane has not played four nationally-ranked opponents in the same season since the 1971 campaign. The Green Wave's meeting with Cincinnati will mark the second No. 2-ranked team Tulane has faced this season (Oklahoma was the first).
3. Tulane comes into its matchup with Cincinnati featuring the nation's 33rd-best scoring offense, averaging 31.9 points per game. Tulane's scoring offense also ranks sixth in the American Athletic Conference.
4. Prior to the Green Wave's trip to ECU, Tulane announced its team captains for the remainder of the year. Linebacker Nick Anderson, offensive lineman Sincere Haynesworth, linebacker Kevin Henry, defensive lineman Jeffery Johnson, quarterback Michael Pratt and linebacker Dorian Williams were all voted as captains by their teammates.
5. Tulane's defense ranks fifth in the AAC in tackles for loss (52nd nationally), averaging 5.3 TFL's per game.
6. Tight end Tyrick James has established himself as one of the top tight ends in the country in the early portion of the 2021 season. His 350 yards receiving rank in the nation's Top 15 among tight ends.
7. Last week against SMU, Pratt tied a career high with three touchdowns against the Mustangs. Pratt has thrown for a touchdown pass in every college game he has played in since making his debut in 2020 (17 straight games). He currently has 36 career touchdown passes and has cracked into the program's all-time Top 10 in career touchdown passes (he is currently ranked ninth all-time).
8. The Green Wave have surpassed 200 yards rushing in 16 games dating back to the start of the 2019 season. Tulane led the American in rushing yards per game last year, averaging 217.1 per game.
9. Tulane has rushed for over 100 yards or more as a team in 69 of its last 72 games. Tulane had its 56-game streak of rushing for at least 100 yards as a team snapped at Houston back on Oct. 8, 2020.
10. Tulane's special teams rank seventh in the nation in net punting (44.6 yards per game).

SCOUTING CINCINNATI

The Bearcats enter their matchup with Tulane ranked second in both polls.
Cincinnati is coming off a hard-fought 27-20 win at Navy on Saturday where junior tight end Josh Whyle had a career-best two touchdown receptions, junior defensive back Arquon Bush made a game-clinching interception and Cincinnati's defense tallied a season-high 11 tackles for loss.
Cincinnati is the only team in the country that ranks in the Top 10 in scoring (41.1, 10th) and scoring defense (14.6, t3rd).
Cincinnati is 38-6 (.864) since the start of 2018 and sports a 16-1 record (.941) since the start of 2020.
UC has the nation's top pass defense, ranking No. 1 in pass efficiency defense (89.72), No. 1 in opponent completion percentage (50.7%), No. 3 in interceptions (12), No. 3 in yards per attempt (5.2), No. 3 in TDs allowed (4) and No. 7 in passing yards allowed (163.7).
Offensively, Cincinnati is led by quarterback Desmond Ridder. Ridder owns a nation-best 38-5 career record. During the 2018 campaign, Ridder has thrown for 1,620 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Head coach Luke Fickell is in his fifth season at Cincinnati and has guided the Bearcats to 42 wins since taking control of the program.
Cincinnati was picked to win the American Athletic Conference in 2021 Preseason Poll.

LAST TIME OUT: TULANE FALLS AT SMU

Tulane's matchup with SMU marked the 28th all-time meeting between the two teams.
With the loss, Tulane fell to 15-13 all-time against SMU.
The Green Wave's setback marked the first time since 2017 that Tulane has lost five straight games.
The Green Wave found themselves in a 31-7 deficit at the end of the first half. The Green Wave scored on their first possession of the first half to cut SMU's lead to 31-13, but that was as close as the Green Wave would get for the remainder of the game.
Tulane has now dropped seven straight games to SMU.
As a team, Tulane was outgained 612-428. Tulane did hold a 287-212 advantage in total yards in the second half.
Kevin Henry, Jeffery Johnson, Michael Pratt and Dorian Williams served as the team captains.
Tulane linebacker Nick Anderson carried the Wave of Change flag and Green Wave quarterback Sincere Haynesworth carried the No. 18 flag in honor of former Tulane student-athlete Devon Walker.
With the loss, Tulane head coach Willie Fritz moved to 223-113-1 all-time.
Offensive starters for the Green Wave were QB Michael Pratt, RB Cameron Carroll, WR Jha'Quan Jackson, WR Shae Wyatt, TE Tyrick James, TE Will Wallace, OL Sincere Haynesworth, OL Caleb Thomas, OL Corey Dublin, OL Rashad Green, OL Joey Claybrook.
Dublin's start was the 56th of his career. Dublin has the most starts of any player on the team.
Pratt passed for 234 yards through the air. He also tied a career high with three passing touchdowns.
Pratt has now passed for over 200 yards in nine career games.
Pratt has now thrown multiple touchdown passes in 14 career games.
Pratt now has 36 career touchdowns which ranks ninth all-time.
With his passing score in the first quarter, Pratt extended his consecutive passing touchdown streak to 17 games.
Running back Tyjae Spears totaled a season-best 85 rushing yards.
Wide receiver Shae Wyatt led the team with 4 receptions. His 4 receptions tied a season-high.
Wide receiver Jha'Quan Jackson led the team in receiving yards with 93.
Defensive starters for the Green Wave were DL JoJo Dorceus, DL Jeffery Johnson, DL Eric Hicks, DL Darius Hodges, LB Kevin Henry, LB Marvin Moody, DB Ajani Kerr, DB Jadon Canady, DB Jaylon Monroe, DB Macon Clark and DB Derrion Rakestraw.
Johnson's start was the 39th of his career which is the most of any player on the defense.
Tulane outgained SMU 180-100 in the third quarter and held the Mustangs to just seven points.
Junior Nick Anderson returned to the lineup and led the team with 11.0 tackles.
Senior JoJo Dorceus picked up a sack. The sack allowed by SMU is just the second allowed by the Mustangs all season.
For just the third time this season, Tulane failed to create a defensive turnover.
Punter Ryan Wright finished the game with 3 punts for 161 yards (53.7 average).
Tulane kickoff specialist Casey Glover has now successfully converted three onside kicks.
Merek Glover connected on a pair of extra points and now has 318 career points. He needs just 16 more points to become the school's all-time leading scorer.

PRATT FRAT

In just 17 career appearances, quarterback Michael Pratt has quickly made a name for himself in the college football landscape.
Pratt has thrown for over 3,000 yards and has 36 touchdown passes in his career.
His 16 touchdowns this season rank third in The American and 17th nationally.
Pratt also ranks sixth in the American in passing yards (1,598).
The Florida native has thrown for multiple touchdown passes in 14 career games.
Pratt has passed for over 200 yards in nine career games.
Pratt also has proven to be a force in the running game, as he has rushed and passed for a touchdown in nine career games.
Against UAB, Pratt threw his first interception of the year in the third quarter against the Blazers. Prior to his interception, Pratt had gone 96 attempts without throwing an interception.

Longest Active Touchdown Streak in FBS
32 - Sam Howell, North Carolina
26 - Dillon Gabriel, UCF
21 - Carson Strong, Nevada
19 - Matt Corral, Ole Miss
17 - Michael Pratt, Tulane
17 - Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

APPROACHING A MILESTONE

Tulane kicker Merek Glover needs just 16 points to pass Seth Marler to become the school's all-time leading scorer.
Marler has held the all-time scoring record since 2002.
Glover currently has 318 points in his kicking career.
Glover also ranks in the Top 10 in field goals made (41), PATS made (195), PATS attempted (200) and PAT percentage (.975).
Glover originally joined the team as a walk-on back in 2017 and was later put on scholarship in 2019.

A SCHOLAR AND A FREAK

Tulane linebacker Nick Anderson was recently recognized as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
Anderson was one of 79 players from the Football Bowl Subdivision that was recognized on as a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist.
In the classroom, he holds a 3.7 grade point average and is majoring in Homeland Security. This past December he was selected as one of two departmental recipients of the Stephen Martin Scholars award.
Prior to the 2021 campaign, Anderson was honored on Bruce Feldman's annual FREAKS LIST.

THE OLD GUARD

Tulane linebacker Kevin Henry is one of only two players (USF's Thad Magnum) in the American Athletic Conference that is in his seventh year playing college football.
The seventh-year linebacker currently ranks third on the team in tackles with 36.
Earlier this year against Morgan State, Henry collected his first career interception return for touchdown.
During his five years at Oklahoma State, Henry guided the Cowboys to 45 wins and five bowl appearances.

GOING TOE-TO-TOE WITH THE BIG BOYS

Tulane's near victory over second-ranked Oklahoma is nothing new for Willie Fritz coached teams.
Fritz's teams have made a habit of putting a big-time scare into their big-time opponents from the ACC, BIG 12 and SEC.
In 2018, Tulane took Wake Forest into overtime, but fell 23-17.
In 2019, Tulane trailed by just eight points (14-6) midway through the third quarter at 10th-ranked Auburn, but ultimately fell 24-6.
Fritz's Georgia Southern squad took Georgia into overtime in 2015.
In 2014, Fritz's Georgia Southern team nearly defeated NC State on the road, but fell 24-23. In that same season, GSU fell by just four points to a Georgia Tech team that went on to win the Orange Bowl.
In 2012, Fritz's Sam Houston State team held a 20-10 halftime lead over Baylor.

A TOUGH SLATE

The Green Wave's schedule included non-conference matchups against Oklahoma (Sept. 4), Morgan State (Sept. 11), Ole Miss (Sept. 17) and UAB (Sept. 25). Tulane also will welcome league opponents Houston (Oct. 7), Cincinnati (Oct. 30), Tulsa (Nov. 13) and USF (Nov. 20).
Tulane's 2021 schedule is currently tied for the 22nd toughest schedule among teams from the FBS. The combined record of Tulane's 2021 opponents is 55-32.
Tulane's matchup with SMU will mark the third nationally-ranked opponent the Green Wave have faced this season.
With its matchup against No. 2/3 Cincinnati set for Oct. 30, Tulane will faceoff against its fourth nationally ranked opponent this year. The Green Wave have not faced four nationally-ranked opponents in the same season since the 1971 campaign.