The Cotton Bowl is finally here to kick off 2023 as the Tulane Green Wave represents the Group of Five against the USC Trojans of the Pac-12. Let's check out our College Football odds series where our Tulane-USC prediction and pick will be revealed!
After capturing one of the more successful seasons in Tulane's history, the 11-2 Green Wave last saw action when they defeated UCF for the American Athletic Conference crown by a score of 45-28. It has been a remarkable campaign to say the least for Willie Fritz in his seventh season at Tulane, as he has transformed a 2-10 team to a squad with 11 wins almost overnight.
Seemingly right on the cusp of the College Football Playoff before falling short in the Pac-12 Championship by losing to Utah for the second time this season, USC must now settle with a trip to Dallas for the right to call themselves Cotton Bowl champs. While a matchup against a school like Tulane isn't what they had in mind, the Trojans can still end the season on a high note with a good showing on Monday.
Here are the Tulane-USC college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Cotton Bowl Odds: Tulane-USC Odds
Tulane: +1.5 (-106)
USC: -1.5 (-114)
Over: 63.5 (-110)
Under: 63.5 (-110)
Why Tulane Could Cover The Spread
While a majority of America isn't exactly sure what to expect from the Green Wave on Monday, Tulane has been one of the more slept-on defenses in all of the nation. Entering play with the 23rd-best scoring defense in allowing 20.5 points per game, the Green Wave are prone to slamming opposing offenses to the turf with such force that they don't even know what hit them.
The biggest reason for Tulane's success on defense has been the extraordinary play of a secondary that knows how to stop passing games in their tracks. Even though the Green Wave don't possess an extremely impressive strength of schedule with this contest versus USC signaling their toughest challenge of the year, this is a confident unit that should not be expected to back down from a challenge. At the moment, USC is expected to be without the services of a couple of offensive line starters which could end up being just what the doctor ordered after Tulane mustered up six sacks versus UCF in the AAC title game.
Other than the fact that Tulane's defense has been tough to move the ball against, fellow bettors should keep in mind that the Green Wave's offense has been no slouches either. In addition, USC's defense has shown signs of inconsistency and is coming off an awful showing against the Utes when they missed an unfathomable 24 tackles on the night. Alas, don't be overly shocked if Tulane finds success in moving the ball in between the tackles and gaining some extra yardage off of the Trojans not being fundamentally sound.
Why USC Could Cover The Spread
You can call the first season of the Lincoln Riley experience a success for the most part, but the season-ending was considered such a disappointment that if USC cannot find a way to come away with a win in the Cotton Bowl. Yes, USC saw their quarterback Caleb Williams bring home the Heisman Memorial Trophy to Los Angeles for the eighth time in school history, but missing out on the College Football Playoff when it was right there for the taking is unfortunate.
Nevertheless, USC is well aware that Tulane is excited to be partaking in this one and will be playing with a whole lot of fire down in Dallas. In order to avoid a massive letdown on Monday, the hope is that Caleb Williams is a whole lot healthier than when we last saw him on the gridiron. Hampered by a gnarly hamstring injury, Williams has come out and said that he expects to play in the Cotton Bowl and that he should be close to 100%.
Of course, the Trojans cannot have another porous performance that saw a complete breakdown of an offensive line that had Williams scrambling for his life in the Pac-12 title game. Protecting Williams and keeping him upright for a majority of play on Monday will give this USC offense which is averaging 41.1 points per game the confidence it needs to endure a big bounce-back outing.
All year long, USC's defense has been spotty but has used a bend-but-don't-break approach to their advantage. While this wasn't the case against the Utes, this is still a unit that loves to force giveaways and make life difficult for offenses trying to play a clean game. If the defense can snag a turnover or two, the Trojans will be tough to overcome.
Final Tulane-USC Prediction & Pick
This Cotton Bowl showdown is all about which side will show up for play, and with USC more than likely bummed that are playing in this one and the fact that Tulane could not be more enthused for this type of moment, it is hard not to put your trust in the Green Wave!
Final Tulane-USC Prediction & Pick: Tulane +1.5 (-106)
How To Watch
TV: ESPN
Stream: WatchESPN
Time: 1:00 PM ET/10:00 PT
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