SMU vs. Tulane Picks, Predictions College Football Week 12: Opposing Styles Meet in New Orleans
The SMU Mustangs and their top-10 scoring offense take on the top-25 scoring defense of the Tulane Green Wave on Thursday of Week 12. Check out our top SMU vs. Tulane college football picks and predictions.
Tulane was atop the American standings before falling to UCF at home last week. They are now 5-1 and in a three-way tie for first place in the conference.
Meanwhile, SMU has rattled off three straight wins since it lost to Cincinnati by two points in October. During that span, they have scored at least 41 points in all of their games.
Here are our SMU vs. Tulane college football picks for Week 12 (odds via BetMGM, FanDuel Sportsbook, and DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Check out all of our top college football picks for Week 12.
SMU vs. Tulane Game Info
Date: Thursday, Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Yulman Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana
Weather: 39 degrees, 8% chance of precipitation, 8-mph winds
SMU vs. Tulane Odds
SMU vs. Tulane Odds Analysis
Tulane opened as a 2.5-point favorite but that has grown to a line of -3.5 with overwhelming betting support for the Green Wave. Bettors are backing Tulane with 74% of the tickets and 93% of the handle as of Thursday morning, according to Pregame.com.
The Over/Under has been modified only slightly, with the consensus opening line of 65.5 sitting at 65 as of Thursday morning. The Over has drawn the support of 86% of the tickets and a massive majority share of the handle.
SMU vs. Tulane Picks
SMU vs. Tulane ATS Pick
SMU +3.5 (-110) ★
This is one of the toughest games of the week to pick. These teams are both very good at what they do, which makes it difficult to know which team's strength will ultimately win out.
The Green Wave are allowing just 19 points per game, but in their last four contests, they’re allowing an average of 27.5. While they have faced good offenses, none of them have had the offensive firepower of SMU.
That is why we are leaning slightly in favor of the Mustangs. Their offense has been incredible all season, scoring below 30 points just three times. They have won four of five, and their only loss was 29-27 to Cincinnati, where a failed two-point conversion was the difference in the game. This team is clicking on all cylinders, and the Tulane defense isn’t what it was earlier in the season.
SMU vs. Tulane O/U Pick
Over 64.5 (-115) ★★
Both of these teams are currently playing much better offensively than they are defensively. While the Green Wave have allowed nearly four touchdowns per game in their last four, they have scored over 35 points per game during that same stretch.
SMU has won despite its defense throughout the whole back half of the season. For the year, the Mustangs are allowing 32.6 points per game. In their last five games, of which they have won four, they are allowing 36.6 points per contest.
This number is very high, and Tulane’s defense could show up and turn this into a defensive struggle. But based on recent weeks, this game should be played in the 70s.
SMU vs. Tulane Prop Pick
Over 31 points in first half (-110) ★★★
Both of these teams have been in high-scoring first halves over the course of their last four games. For SMU, the lowest total was 31 points when the Mustangs led 24-7 over Tulsa at halftime. In their other three games, they have allowed at least 17 points in the first 30 minutes, and they have scored at least 14.
Tulane’s lowest first-half point total was 27 when they played Tulsa. The Green Wave led 17-10 at halftime of that one, and the game ended with just 40 points. The Green Wave have scored at least two touchdowns in the first half of their last four games, and they have given up 14 or more points twice.
Where to Bet on SMU vs. Tulane
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SMU-Tulane picks made 11/15/2022 at 12:10 p.m. ET
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