Oklahoma looks to move to 3-0 on the season when it hosts AAC foe Tulane in Week 3. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Tulane-Oklahoma prediction and pick.
The Sooners started the new campaign with a convincing 51-3 win against Temple but struggled on offense in a 16-12 win over Houston in Week 2. Oklahoma had just 249 yards of total offense against the Cougars, and their only points after the 12:28 mark in the second quarter came via a defensive safety with under two minutes left in the game.
Meanwhile, the Green Wave blanked Southeast Louisiana 52-0 in the opener before taking No. 17 Kansas State to the limit in a 34-27 loss on the road. Can upset-minded Tulane do the same in Norman?
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Tulane-Oklahoma Odds
Tulane: +13.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +420
Oklahoma: -13.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -580
Over: 46.5 (-110)
Under: 46.5 (-110)
How to Watch Tulane vs. Oklahoma
Time: 3:30 ET/ 12:30 PT
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Tulane Could Cover The Spread/Win
As if the performance against Kansas State wasn't enough, Tulane is already proving it is no slouch.
This team was picked third in the AAC preseason poll (and even got two first-place votes) for a reason. The Green Wave had to replace head coach Willie Fritz – who took the job at Houston – and seventh-round draft pick Michael Pratt at quarterback, but there's still enough talent on the roster to boost this team to a College Football Playoff spot as the Group of 5 representatives.
Darian Mensah will make his third career start at quarterback in this game, and he enters with plenty of confidence after completing 29 of 41 throws for 547 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in the first two games.
The biggest chore for the Oklahoma defense will be stopping running back Makhi Hughes. He has racked up 35 carries for 187 yards and two scores thus far this season, including 21 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Kansas State.
Beyond that, the Tulane defense should be salivating over the opportunity to play the Oklahoma offense in its current form. It was punt after punt after punt for the Sooners in the second half against Houston, so the Green Wave are facing a unit looking for answers.
That's a recipe for either an upset or keeping this game tight for four quarters, just like Tulane did against the Wildcats.
Why Oklahoma Could Cover The Spread/Win
Is this a potential letdown spot for the Green Wave?
They were so close to pulling off the upset a week ago, and now they have to turn around and play another top-20 opponent on its home field. The grind of a college football season is real, and even though it's only Week 3, it's a tall task playing these two teams back to back.
And for as good as Hughes has been on the ground for Tulane, this Oklahoma defense is a different beast. The Sooners have allowed just 127 rushing yards through the first two contests and rankings 15th nationally in that category, so they will undoubtedly key in on the star running back and force the freshman quarterback to beat them through the air.
But yeah, let's get back to that offense for a second.
It has without question been a struggle thus far, but the potential return of wide receiver Nic Anderson could be just what Oklahoma needs. He has yet to play this season due to injury, but he's proven to be one of the team's best playmakers after posting 38 receptions for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023. Brent Venables has stated that Anderson will return sooner rather than later, and even hinted at this game being a possibility for that.
To say that the Sooners need a spark on offense would be an understatement. If they get that via Anderson, the combination of better offense and an elite defense should allow for a big game against the Green Wave.
Final Tulane-Oklahoma Prediction & Pick
Can you trust Oklahoma's offense to cover a nearly two-touchdown spread?
That's really what it comes down to in betting on this matchup. The Sooners are a better football team and have a great defense, but the lackluster play on offense is reason to wonder how they'll fare in SEC play this season. If Anderson were to be cleared to play, that would be a huge step in the right direction.
Some may have more confidence in Tulane until Oklahoma can find more consistency on offense, but this seems like a decent spot for the Sooners to quiet their critics.
Final Tulane-Oklahoma Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma -13.5 (-110)
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