The 17th-ranked SMU Mustangs try to remain a top contender for the AAC title when they visit Yulman Stadium to take on the Tulane Green Wave on Friday evening. The Mustangs had a week off after a big 30-27 victory against then-No. 25 Memphis to open their American Athletic Conference
slate, and Shane Buechele has the SMU offense humming. SMU (4-0, 1-0) defeated the Green Wave 37-20 last season on its way to its first double-digit-win season since 1984. Tulane (2-2, 0-2) relies heavily on its running game, while Buechele’s arm largely dictates the success for the Mustangs.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET in New Orleans. William Hill lists the Mustangs as a 6.5-point favorite in the latest SMU vs. Tulane college football odds, while the over-under for total points scored is 66. Before making any Tulane vs. SMU picks, check out the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of over $4,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is a sizzling 23-6 on top-rated picks through five weeks of the 2020 college football season, returning almost $1,300 in profit already. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on SMU vs. Tulane. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds from William Hill and trends for Tulane vs. SMU:
The Mustangs are 7-2 against the spread in their last nine after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game, and they have no problems far surpassing that number. The SMU offense averages 558.8 yards per game (fourth in FBS) and scores an average of 44 points (fifth). Buechele threw for 474 yards and three touchdowns against Memphis to give the former Texas transfer 1,326 yards (second in the nation) and 10 touchdowns this season.
SMU is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 after rushing for less than 100 yards in their previous game, and the Mustangs generate an average of 219.5 per game on the ground (12th in FBS). Ulysses Bentley was held to 32 yards against Memphis but averages 8.4 per carry and has 412 yards this season. The defense is led by linebacker Delano Robinson (31 tackles), and cornerback Brandon Crossley has two interceptions for a unit that has 11 sacks and nine takeaways.
Why Tulane can cover
The Green Wave are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight home games, and the offense should be able to move the ball on the ground against SMU. The Mustangs allow 164.3 rushing yards per game, ranking 51st in FBS, while Tulane is ninth in the nation in rushing at 241.3. Powerful sophomore running back Cameron Carroll leads the way with 285 yards and seven touchdowns, while senior Stephon Huderson has averaged 7.1 yards on his 25 rushes.
