By Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @Petepelegrin

By winning Saturday against Tulane, FIU (3-2) would equal its victory total from last season when the Panthers finished 4-8 after an 0-4 start. The Green Wave have the No. 8 running game in the country averaging 293 yards per game. While FIU possesses the No. 79 run defense in the nation yielding 170 rushing yards per contest.

Tulane features several talented ballcarriers and a very athletic, mobile quarterback to anchor the ground game. FIU has faced similar rushing attacks like Tulane's in years past. Think Georgia Southern, Bethune-Cookman, Arkansas State, etc. Tulane head coach Willie Fritz used to be Georgia Southern's head coach and directs a similar style read-option offense now with the Green Wave.

FIU and Tulane meet for the first time in the Panthers' 16-year football history on Saturday. FIU has a trip to New Orleans to play Tulane in the near future. For more on Saturday's matchup, here is Guerry Smith, who covers Tulane football for the New Orleans Advocate, to answer "5 Questions" on the Green Wave. You can follow Guerry on Twitter: @Guersmith for all Tulane things.

    

1. What were the preseason expectations for Tulane and how do you think the Green Wave has fared so far?

GS: I picked Tulane to go 6-6 this year, but the general expectations were much lower. All 30 media members who voted at AAC Media Days tabbed the Green Wave last in the West division, largely because of the loss of defensive stars Tanzel Smart and Nico Marley. What they missed was how many experienced starters remained on defense, coupled with an offense that could not help but be better than in coach Willie Fritz's first year when he had no quarterback who could A) run his offense and B) had ever thrown a pass in college. Tulane's defense is solid, and dynamic junior college transfer quarterback Jonathan Banks gives the Wave the run/pass threat Fritz's offense requires.

2. Why is the Green Wave's running game (293 rushing yards per game) so successful? Who are some of Tulane's top players on offense?

GS: Fritz's teams always are among the nation's leaders in rushing offense. Georgia Southern led the nation in rushing in both of his years there in 2014 and 2015, and Tulane is on pace to shatter the school record for rushing yards. His unique approach, which combines shotgun, zone-read spread formations with the triple option element, has worked at Sam Houston State, Georgia Southern and now Tulane. Senior running back Dontrell Hilliard is NFL caliber, leading a deep cast in the backfield that includes speedster Sherman Badie and power runner Darius Bradwell. Plus, Banks is a threat every time he keeps the ball. Another player to watch is Terren Encalade, by far Tulane's best receiver.

3. Tulane's defense surrenders nearly 200 yards on the ground per game. Is this a result of playing some good running teams like Navy, Oklahoma and Army or is the Green Wave's run defense been a concern? Who are some noteworthy Tulane defensive players?

GS: The run defense is solid, and the poor stats are a direct result of facing triple-option teams Navy and Army. Consider that Tulane held Navy to 194 rushing yards, and the Midshipmen have piled up 569, 421 and 471 yards on the ground in their three subsequent games. Army rolled up 371 yards, but it was on a very hot day when Tulane's offense sputtered and the defense was on the field for 40 minutes. Even then, the Wave gave up only 17 points, making the Black Knights work for every first down. Nose tackle Sean Wilson is an excellent player, and he gets plenty of help from a deep group on the line and at linebacker.

4. Looking at Tulane's special teams stats I notice kicker Coby Neenan has attempted just one field goal on the season. Is that an anomaly or are there kicking issues for Tulane? How are the rest of the Green Wave's special teams?

GS: Coby Neenan got benched after missing three extra points, with walk-on Merek Glover replacing him for the last three games. Tulane has major concerns in the kicking game, but the reason the Green Wave has attempted only one field goal is twofold. With Banks getting injured early against Navy, missing the Oklahoma game and playing hurt against Army, the offense struggled to get within scoring range until breaking out against Tulsa. But when it did reach the red zone, it was incredibly efficient, scoring touchdowns on all but one of those possessions. The rest of Tulane's special teams are average, although Badie has the potential to break one on kickoff returns.

5. How do you see Saturday's game between Tulane and FIU playing out?

GS: If Tulane gets ahead early, it should be a comfortable day for the Green Wave, which is favored by double digits on the road for the first time since 2003. Banks is in a groove, and the running game will wear down the Panthers. But if the Panthers hang around early, it could get interesting. Partly because it has loaded the box to stop the run and partly because of bad coverage by the Green Wave safeties, Tulane has been burned deep several times. Look for Alex McGough to test the secondary on long balls, although he would be wise to stay away from cornerback Parry Nickerson, one of the best cover guys in the nation.