SMU vs Tulane Football Prediction & Best Bets

Is a return trip to a big-time bowl game in the cards for Tulane? With a win over SMU in today’s American Athletic Conference Championship Game (4:00 pm ET, ABC), the Green Wave will lock down a second straight conference title and a second straight New Year’s Six Bowl berth.

Last season, one of the greatest turnarounds in recent college football history saw the Green Wave win a conference title for the first time since 1998, then go on to defeat Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and USC in a Cotton Bowl classic.

With quarterback Michael Pratt returning, expectations were high for Tulane entering this season. And those expectations have been met, with their only blemish coming in the second week of the season at Ole Miss, a game that Pratt missed due to injury.

Bet on SMU vs Tulane and Other NCAAF Conference Championship Games at BetDSI

Since that loss to the Rebels, Tulane (11-1, 8-0 American) has won ten straight games, and the Green Wave have won 11 straight games against conference opposition since a home loss to UCF in November of last year.

But their first 11 wins this season won’t matter as much if they don’t take care of business against SMU, who, like Tulane, went undefeated in conference play in the regular season.

The Mustangs carry their own impressive win streak into today’s title tilt at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans. After wrapping up non-conference play with a rivalry loss at TCU, SMU swept the board in AAC action and now gets a crack at one of the teams that they didn’t get to face in the regular season.

But can they pull the upset and win the program’s first outright conference title since 1981, when future Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson helped lead the Mustangs to the Southwest Conference crown? They will have to do it without a vital piece of their success this season.

SMU vs Tulane Odds

Odds are courtesy of Bovada.

Spread

• SMU +3 (-110)
• Tulane -3 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 46.5 (-115)
• Under 46.5 (-105)

Moneyline

Can SMU Win Without Sidelined Stone?

When SMU last won an outright conference title, the ground game led the way, as Dickerson and the 1982 Mustangs averaged over 300 rushing yards per game.

This year’s rushing attack has been productive, averaging 180.0 yards per game and finding the end zone 27 times.

But as has been the case with most SMU teams in recent years, the aerial attack has been the biggest weapon in the Mustangs’ offensive arsenal, with sophomore QB Preston Stone (3,197 passing yards, 28 TD, 6 INT, four rushing TD) proving to be a more than adequate replacement for Tanner Mordecai, who transferred to Wisconsin after two prolific seasons.

But in the second quarter of last week’s regular season finale against Navy, Stone suffered a broken left leg and is out for the season.

There’s never a good time for such an injury, but the timing here was especially atrocious.

Along with the conference championship game on the horizon, Stone had carved up the Midshipmen before going down with about six minutes left in the second quarter, going 14 of 19 for 322 yards and three scores.

With Stone out, redshirt freshman Kevin Jennings is the next man up for SMU. In five games this season, Jennings is 18 of 24 for 224 yards and three touchdowns and has run for a touchdown as well.

Can Jennings deliver on a big stage in his first collegiate start?

Entering Championship Week, Tulane was tied for ninth in interceptions (15) and tied for 21st in sacks (33). You can expect Tulane to want to put some heat on him early to try to force him into mistakes, but it must be noted that the Mustangs have allowed only 14 sacks this season, including just four in their last six games.

SMU vs Tulane Prediction and Best Bets

Prediction: Tulane to win

Best Bets: Tulane -3 (-110 at Bovada) & SMU/Tulane over 46.5 (-115 at Bovada)

That the Green Wave are only favored by a field goal even with their starting quarterback injured indicates what oddsmakers think of the Mustangs’ chances to take down Tulane, which would send Conference USA champs Liberty to a New Year’s Six bowl.

The Green Wave have been good about getting to the quarterback this season, but the Mustangs have been even better. Entering Championship Week, SMU was tied for fifth in the FBS in sacks (40).

But the mobile Pratt is equipped to handle pressure and will be up to the task of neutralizing SMU’s potent pass rush. Pratt has been sacked only 13 times in 10 games and hasn’t been sacked more than twice in a game, and he has run for 321 yards and four touchdowns.

In last year’s AAC title win over UCF, Pratt was 20 off 33 for 394 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 48 yards and another touchdown on six attempts. Those numbers will be hard to top this time around, and so will Tulane, who will celebrate a conference title on their home field for the second straight December.

Where to Bet on College Football

Most top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of college football odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to make weekly college football picks all the way from Week Zero to the College Football Playoff National Championship, you can also bet on Heisman Trophy odds, conference championship odds, win totals, and much more.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for college football betting. Below are some of the books that we highly recommend: