No. 17 Tulane, No. 25 SMU bring unblemished league marks into AAC title tilt #Tulane #SMU #bring #unblemished #league #marks #AAC #title #tilt

No. 25 SMU (10-2, 8-0 American Athletic Conference) at No. 17 Tulane (11-1, 8-0, No. 22 CFP), Saturday, 4 p.m. EST (ABC)

Line: Tulane by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: SMU leads 8-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Tulane is trying to win back-to-back conference titles for the first time since taking the 1930 and 1931 Southern Conference crowns. The Green Wave also has a chance to go to a major New Year’s Day bowl game for a second straight season. SMU seeks its first conference title since winning the Southwest Conference in 1984. A New Year’s Day major bowl game also could be in the cards for the Mustangs if they win the AAC title in their last season in the league before moving to the ACC.

KEY MATCHUP

SMU’s running back tandem of Jaylan Knighton and LJ Johnson Jr., who have combined to rush for 1,187 and nine TDs this season, against a Tulane defensive that ranks fifth nationally against the run with 86 yards rushing allowed per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

SMU: DE Elijah Roberts leads the Mustangs with tackles for loss with 10 and sacks with 8 1/2 to go with a forced fumble and five QB hurries.

Tulane: QB Michael Pratt is Tulane’s career leader in total yards with 10,544, yards passing with 9,364 and touchdowns passing with 89.

FACTS & FIGURES

SMU will have to play without starting QB Preston Stone, who broke his leg last week. Stone passed for 3,197 yards and 28 TDs this season. … SMU is in the AAC championship game for the first and last time before changing leagues next summer. … The Mustangs have defeated four teams by 40 or more points this season. … SMU made its season debut in the AP Top 25 poll on Sunday. … The SMU defense’s 40 sacks this season are the fourth most nationally and third most in program history for a single season. … Tulane is 23-3 in its past 26 games and its victory total since the start of the 2022 season ranks third behind just Georgia (27) and Michigan (25). … Pratt has a TD pass in 26 straight. … Tulane RB Makhi Hughes, who has rushed for 1,246 yards this season, is the first freshman in program history (since 1893) to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He has rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of Tulane’s past eight games. … Tulane coach Willie Fritz has 54 victories at Tulane, five short of the program’s all-time mark of 59 owned by Clark Shaughnessy, who last coached the Green Wave in 1926.