Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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One of the reasons BYU appears so "mature" is because Tulane is so...well, green.
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The Green Wave list 15 true or redshirt freshmen on their two-deep, with BYU listing only seven first-year players on its depth chart.
But, while Tulane does have a lot of rookies on the roster, only BYU starts a non-special teams freshman--that player is left guard Braden Hansen.
Both teams have freshmen first-teamers on specials teams: BYU punter Riley Stephenson, and Tulane kick returners D.J. Banks and Payten Jasen.
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With BYU traveling to New Orleans (located just east of the mouth of the Mississippi River), it bears noting that BYU's last win east of the Mississippi came in 2001; since that win at Mississippi State, BYU has dropped four consecutive games back east. The Cougars have lost at Georgia Tech (2002), at Notre Dame (2003 and 2005), and at Boston College (2006).
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Interesting that BYU and Tulane put up remarkably similar offensive numbers in their openers--both games against teams from the Sooner State.
BYU v. Oklahoma:
28 rush yards
329 pass yards
357 total yards
14 points scored
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Tulane v. Tulsa:
39 rush yards
325 pass yards
364 total yards
13 points scored
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The first thing you say is, well, that's interesting and all, but Tulsa is no Oklahoma--and I agree. I guess we can see how close in ability those two teams really are when they meet in 8 days.
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Whether or not Harvey Unga plays at Tulane, BYU should do substantially better than the 0.8 yards per carry it put up against OU. The Green Wave were ranked 113th in rush defense last season, and they gave up 201 ground yards to Tulsa last week.
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BYU gets some nice press in the hard-copy issue of Sports Illustrated this week. The highlight is a page-and-a-quarter photo of the Cougar defense's push on its fourth quarter goal-line stand versus the Sooners.
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