Tulane seeks a 10-win improvement over USC Cotton Bowl

Cotton Bowl: No. 14 Tulane (11-2) vs. No. 8 Southern California (11-2), Monday 1 p.m. Eastern (ESPN).

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK COLLEGE LINE: USC by 11/2

Series record: USC leads with 2-1

WHAT’S AT STAKE

USC is looking for its first 12-win season under Lincoln Riley, its first-year coach. The Trojans have only lost to one team — twice to Utah, in mid-October and then again in the Pac-12 championship game. American Athletic Conference champion Tulane holds an FBS record in largest turnaround. It was previously a 2-10 record. The Green Wave has never won 12 games since 1998 when they had a perfect 12-0 season.

KEY MATCHUP

Tulane passing game against USC secondary. QB Michael Pratt. Only one-win Colorado has thrown for more than 300 yards and scored multiple touchdowns in seven of their last seven games. However, they rank third nationally this season with 19 interceptions. Pratt has thrown for 2,755 yards and 25 touchdowns He has five interceptions and was picked off only once in the last eight games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tulane: Running back Tyjae Spears’ FBS-best streak includes seven consecutive 100-yard running games. He has run for 1,376 yard and 15 touchdowns, including 199 yards with an American Athletic Conference championship-game TD of 60 yards.

USC: Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams He said that he was fully recovered from a serious hamstring injury sustained in the Pac-12 championship game. He’s thrown for 4,075 yards with 37 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also ran for 372 yards with 10 more scores.

FACTS & FIGURES

Tulane had the the longest losing record against Top 25 teams — 61 in a row since 1984 — before wins over then-ranked Cincinnati and UCF in its last two games. … These two teams last played each other in 1946. … The Trojans are 0-2 in games at AT&T Stadium. In the 2016 season opener, the Trojans lost 52-6 to Alabama at AT&T Stadium. They also lost 24-7 to Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl at end 2017. … Tulane is currently at 5,640 yards, just 202 shy of its single-season school records.

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