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SMU vs. Tulane Football Betting: Will the Green Wave rebound to stay on track for American title tilt?
Written by: Eddie Griffin
Last Updated:
Read Time: 4 minutes
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Despite losing their first conference game of the season on Saturday, Tulane will still play in the American Athletic Conference title game for the first time if they win their final two games. A visit to Cincinnati next week is a titanic tilt, but first, they must see off a surging SMU squad on Thursday night.
Even after Saturday’s 38-31 loss to UCF, it is possible that this week’s matchup with the Mustangs will not be their last home game of the season.
The team that finishes at the top of the heap in the conference standings will host the championship clash on December 3. For now, UCF, who owns wins over both Cincinnati and Tulane, is poised for that honor after their win at Yulman Stadium.
With wins in their last three games, SMU still has some hope of making their own first championship appearance. But the Mustangs need some help, in addition to finishing the regular season by winning at Tulane this week and at home against Memphis next week.
SMU Mustangs vs. Tulane Green Wave Matchup Information and Betting Odds
Matchup Information
- Matchup: SMU Mustangs (6-4, 4-2 American, 4th in the American) vs. Tulane Green Wave (8-2, 5-1 American, 3rd in the American)
- Venue & Location: Yulman Stadium (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- Date: Thursday, November 17, 2022
- Game Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time (6:30 p.m. local time)
- How to Watch SMU vs. Tulane: ESPN
SMU vs. Tulane Odds
Game odds are via BetOnline as of Monday, November 14, 2022, at 4:00 a.m. ET. This article may also mention odds from our other recommended legal sports betting sites.
Spread
- SMU +3 (-110)
- Tulane -3 (-110)
Over/Under
- Over 64.5 (-115)
- Under 64.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- SMU +128
- Tulane -164
Is Tulane Destined for Defeat?
Timing wise, Tulane could not be facing SMU at a worse time.
In their loss to UCF, the Green Wave found themselves down 24-7 midway through the second quarter, and they were unable to dig themselves out of that hole.
A slow start on offense didn’t help, and neither did allowing 336 rushing yards and not making stops when they desperately needed to.
Tulane pulled within a touchdown twice in the second half, but after making it 31-24 with 11:39 left, they allowed a 16-play, 75-yard, eight-minute drive that culminated in a back-breaking touchdown with 3:32 left.
Now they have to face an offense that is putting up big numbers right now. Tulane’s offense is capable of more than it showed against UCF, but it is not built to go blow for blow with SMU in a shootout.
Offensive Output in SMU’s Last Three Games
- at Tulsa (45-34 W): 468 total yards (310 passing, 158 rushing)
- vs. Houston (77-63 W): 642 total yards (379 passing, 263 rushing)
- at USF (41-23 W): 553 total yards (280 passing, 273 rushing)
A week after the wildest of wins against Houston, SMU dominated the second half at USF after the two teams went into halftime tied at 17.
Tanner Mordecai is having another prolific season, and he went 19 of 27 for 280 yards and two scores against the Bulls after going 28 of 37 for 379 yards and nine touchdowns against the Cougars.
But SMU’s ground game is heating up, which is bad news for Tulane.
After running for 146 yards against Houston, Tyler Lavine ran for 112 yards and a score on 17 carries against USF. During the Mustangs’ win streak, Lavine has run for 330 yards and five touchdowns on 59 carries (5.6 yards per carry).
Lavine wasn’t the only SMU back to have a big game against the Bulls though.
Alabama transfer Camar Wheaton, a five-star recruit in the 2021 class, got his most significant action of the season at USF. He responded with a career-high 112 yards and two touchdowns–his first 100-yard game and the first two touchdowns of his collegiate career–on 14 carries.
SMU vs. Tulane Prediction and Picks
SMU vs. Tulane Prediction: SMU to win
SMU vs. Tulane Picks: SMU to cover (Best Value: +3.5 @ -110 at BetMGM), SMU ML (Best Value: +140 at Bovada Sportsbook) & SMU/Tulane over (Best Value: over 64.5 @ -115 at BetOnline)
I thought Tulane could and would beat UCF, and had they not started so poorly, things could have transpired differently.
But they didn’t, and the Green Wave have to turn around and face another daunting challenge ahead of the most daunting challenge of them all next week at Nippert Stadium, where Cincinnati has won 32 straight games dating back to 2017.
Both UCF and Cincinnati were able to limit SMU, with the Mustangs managing only 19 points in a 41-19 loss at UCF on October 5 and being held to just 259 yards in a 29-27 home loss to the Bearcats on October 22.
SMU’s defense isn’t great, and Tulane should be able to move the ball on a unit that is 117th in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (197.6) and 111th in yards allowed per attempt (4.7).
But I don’t think the Green Wave will be able to make enough stops when it matters, and the Mustangs will leave New Orleans with a win to keep their championship game hopes alive.
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