Ohio State and Tulane have never played each other in college football throughout the history of each program, and that should not come as a surprise to anyone. It is not as if each team run in the same circles or even have that many common opponents throughout the years.
Saturday will bring these two teams together for the first time on the college gridiron. Strangely enough, these two schools have played each other six times in men's basketball with Ohio State holding the 4-2 edge in that series. The last time those two teams met on the hardwoods? It was the 1984-85 season as the Buckeyes defeated the Green Wave, 76-71 at St. John Arena. Brad Sellers led the home team with 16 points and seven rebounds.
What does that have to do with the upcoming football game? Nothing. We just know there is no history to draw from when it comes to these two teams, so that is why it is more important than ever to go behind enemy lines with someone who covers the opponent and that is why we are talking to Guerry Smith of TheWaveReport.com to ask a few quick hitters about Ohio State's final non-conference foe of the regular season.
BuckeyeGrove: What do Ohio State fans need to know about Tulane offensively? Who is the key player on offense and what sets him apart?
Guerry Smith: Tulane is not the service-academy like, triple-option based offense that coach Willie Fritz' reputation suggests. He ran his version of the triple option a ton at Georgia Southern, his previous stop, because he inherited players who were good at it. He adjusts to his personnel, and Tulane has two outstanding receivers in Darnell Mooney and Terren Encalade. Quarterback Jonathan Banks has passed 77 times through three games, giving the Green Wave a balanced offense. But the key player is reserve running back Corey Dauphine, a Texas Tech transfer. The first time he touched the ball against Nicholls State. he ran 38 yards for a touchdown. The next time he touched the ball, he had a spectacular 69-yard run to the end zone in which he covered at least 100 yards along the way. Last Saturday at UAB, he appeared off to the races for a 78-yard score before a diving player got him by the shoelaces, limiting him to 45 yards. He won the Texas State championship in the 200 meters in 2014, and he shows all of that speed on the field.
