Battle in the Trenches
Both Army and Tulane excel in time of possession, with Army leading the nation and Tulane tied for fourth. This matchup may hinge on dominance in the trenches. Army’s offensive line, a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, will aim to create opportunities for quarterback Bryson Daily and running back Kanye Udoh. Meanwhile, Tulane’s defense will strive to limit long, grinding drives, especially against an Army offense that has scored on four 10-minute-plus drives this season.
Players to Watch
- Tulane: RB Makhi Hughes
Hughes, the nation’s 12th-leading rusher with 1,306 yards, looks to bounce back after being limited to 15 yards against Memphis. Hughes has surpassed 100 rushing yards seven times this season. - Army: LB Andon Thomas
Thomas, Army’s leading tackler, recorded a career-high 15 stops in the Black Knights’ 29-24 win over UTSA. He will be key in countering Tulane’s diverse offense.
Key Stats and Storylines
- Bryson Daily needs one rushing touchdown to set the AAC single-season record, breaking a tie with Navy’s Will Worth (2016).
- Tulane has won the last four meetings against Army, three by single digits.
- Army head coach Jeff Monken seeks his first win over Tulane, holding an 0-4 record in the series.
- Tulane’s Jon Sumrall is undefeated against Army, having won two matchups during his tenure at Troy.
- Tulane QB Darian Mensah thrives in victories, with 15 touchdowns to two interceptions, compared to five touchdowns and three interceptions in losses.
- Army is 26-1 over the past five seasons when avoiding turnovers, including a current 16-game win streak under those circumstances.
- Tulane’s 17-game AAC regular-season win streak ended with last week’s 34-24 loss to Memphis.
Will Army’s ground game control the clock and set records, or will Tulane’s balanced attack rebound and reclaim momentum in the AAC?
