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We have you covered with our college football odds series with a Tulane-Memphis prediction and pick.
The only Friday night matchup to feature two teams over the .500 mark on the season, the Tulane Green Wave heads to Tennessee to take on the Memphis Tigers. With both teams tied for first place in the American Conference standings, this game could easily pan out to be a preview of the conference championship in December. With both teams coming off of a bye, they look well-rested for this highly anticipated match.
Tulane comes into this game amid a dominant three-game win streak. All three wins have come by 12 or more points, and during this streak, their offense is averaging 30.7 points. Most importantly, starting quarterback Michael Pratt is finally healthy again for the Green Wave. After missing two of the first three weeks to start the season due to a knee injury, he has played in both of Tulane's most recent games.
The past three weeks for Memphis have gone a little differently. The Tigers are 2-1 in their past three games, but all three have been one-score games. The most recent game was a 17-point comeback win at home against Boise State. The one-two combo of quarterback Seth Hanigan and running back Blake Watson led them to their highlight win on the season.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Tulane-Memphis Odds
Tulane: -4.5 (-112)
Memphis: +4.5 (-108)
Over: 54.5 (-110)
Under: 54.5 (-110)
How to Watch Tulane vs. Memphis Week 7
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Tulane Will Cover The Spread
As long as Tulane has a healthy Michael Pratt under center, they will always be a favorite to win, especially in the American Conference. Whether the team is home, away, on a neutral site, or anywhere, Pratt is head and shoulders above the competition for the best quarterback in this conference. He was sorely missed in the two games he sat out this season, but in his limited time, he has been sensational. Pratt currently ranks first in the American conference on both passer rating with an incredible 207.4 and average yards per attempt with 11.0.
Helping him complete these mid to long-range passes is his physical offensive lineman. On 61 pass attempts so far this season. Pratt has been sacked only four times. On the line, they have four Seniors and one Junior. This group of upperclassmen is as physical as it gets. If Pratt goes out on Friday night and continues to do what he has been doing for the past two seasons now, Memphis does not stand a chance.
Tulane's run defense has not been great by just their conference's standards. Their run defense has been outstanding on a national scale. The Green Wave have given up 86.2 rushing yards per game in their five games. This 86.2 mark ranks 11th in the nation in fewest rushing yards allowed per game. Seeing as Memphis has the conference's number two leading rusher with 455 rushing yards and six touchdowns, this stout run defense will be all over him.
Why Memphis Will Cover The Spread
When these two played each other last year, it seemed like it would be a runaway game from the beginning. Tulane raced out to a stunning 35-0 lead at halftime. However, Memphis figured them out in the second half and outscored them 28-3. The key for them was to lean on the passing game of Seth Henigan and expose their deep ball pass coverage. In the first four drives they had in the fourth quarter, Henigan led the Tigers to touchdowns, including two passing touchdowns of 33 yards or longer. It worked like a charm for them, and if they stick with this game plan, they could be on their way to an upset.
Tulane won last year because of the unreal play from running back Tyjae Spears. On 24 carries, Spears ran for 125 yards and one touchdown. However, luckily for the Tigers, Spears is now in the NFL on the Tennessee Titans. Comparatively, his replacement has had a tough time filling his shoes. The Green Wave are middle of the pack in the American conference this year, ranking seventh out of fourteen teams in rushing yards per game. Evidently, this team relies heavily on the pass, so if Memphis can just contain Pratt, they can easily steal a win.
Focusing on the present, if any team in the American Conference has the best shot of containing Michael Pratt, it is Memphis. The Tigers' pass defense has allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game in the conference, with an average of 210.8 passing yards allowed to opponents. Moreover, Memphis has given up more than 200 yards passing in only one of their five games this season.
Final Tulane-Memphis Prediction & Pick
Since this game is on Friday night and both teams are unranked, this matchup might go overlooked. However, this has the potential to be one of the more exciting games of the year and the biggest matchup of the entire season for the American Athletic Conference. Although the Green Wave will have the best player on the field with Michael Pratt, I will be giving the 4.5 points to the home dog, Memphis Tigers. The Tigers' pass defense will be firing on all cylinders, so if Seth Hanigan can limit turnovers, look for Memphis to cover.
Final Tulane-Memphis Prediction & Pick: Memphis +4.5 (-108)
