SMU football vs. Tulane: Time, TV schedule, game preview, score

Mustangs battle Green Wave

Head coach Sonny Dykes of the Southern Methodist Mustangs during play against the TCU Horned Frogs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on September 7, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane is coming off a bye week and is not tipping its hand as to which way it will go during a quarterback controversy. The Green Wave will unveil their choice and try to bounce back from a tough loss when they host SMU on Saturday.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Tulane -7

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Justin McMillan, a senior who transferred to Tulane from LSU this season, got his first extended look at quarterback in the second half at Cincinnati on Oct. 6 and threw a pair of touchdown passes while completing 11-of-26 for 130 yards. Jonathan Banks is the incumbent starter but is completing 49.6 percent of his passes and was just 1-of-5 passing before being replaced in the 37-21 loss to the Bearcats. SMU is struggling on the defensive end and ranks 124th out of 130 FBS teams with a scoring defense that surrenders an average of 39.7 points. The Mustangs have allowed at least 42 points in each of their four losses and are looking at a rough stretch of schedule with dates against Cincinnati and Houston coming up after the visit to Tulane.

ABOUT SMU (2-4, 1-1 AAC)

The Mustangs run a two-quarterback system with junior Ben Hicks and freshman William Brown splitting the snaps. Both quarterbacks threw a TD pass in a 48-20 loss at Central Florida on Oct. 6, marking the fourth consecutive game in which Brown and Hicks each found the end zone. Hicks threw for 153 yards against Central Florida to move into first place on the school's all-time passing list with 7,205 career yards, passing Chuck Hixson (7,179).

ABOUT TULANE (2-4, 1-1)

Green Wave coach Willie Fritz hinted that he might use a two-quarterback system as well and is comfortable with either McMillan or Banks taking the snaps. "I’ve had some seasons where I’ve played two and been very successful," Fritz told the New Orleans Advocate. "I've had some years where I couldn’t figure out who to play because (both quarterbacks were bad). So, it’s good when we've got some good ones." Tulane also boasts a pair of solid rushers in Darius Bradwell (469 yards, five TDs) and Corey Dauphine (411, five) with each averaging at least six yards per carry.

EXTRA POINTS

1. SMU RB Braeden West reached 4,000 career all-purpose yards in the loss to Central Florida.

2. Tulane has totaled at least 100 yards rushing in each of the last 33 games.

3. The Mustangs have taken each of the last three meetings, though the last two were decided by a total of seven points.

PREDICTION: Tulane 24, SMU 17

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