The SMU Mustangs attempt to end their stay in the American Athletic Conference with a title when they visit the No. 22 Tulane Green Wave in the 2023 AAC Championship Game on Saturday. SMU (10-2, 8-0), which is moving to the ACC next season, trounced Navy 59-14 last week for its eighth straight victory and fourth overall this year by at least 40 points. Tulane (11-1, 8-0) extended its winning streak to 10 games last Friday with a 29-16 triumph over UTSA. The Green Wave are looking to repeat as conference champions after defeating UCF 45-28 in last year's title game.
Kickoff at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. The Green Wave are 3-point favorites in the latest SportsLine consensus Tulane vs. SMU odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 47. Before making any SMU vs. Tulane picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a strong profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It finished the 2023 regular season a profitable 13-9 on top-rated spread picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Tulane vs. SMU and just revealed its picks and college football predictions. You can visit SportsLine to see the model's CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for SMU vs. Tulane:
- Tulane vs. SMU spread: Green Wave -3
- Tulane vs. SMU over/under: 47 points
- Tulane vs. SMU money line: Green Wave -152, Mustangs +127
- TUL: The Green Wave are 1-5 against the spread in their last six home games
- SMU: The Mustangs are 0-6 ATS in their last six contests as road underdogs
- Tulane vs. SMU picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Tulane vs. SMU live stream: fubo (try for free)
Why Tulane can cover
The Green Wave are 10-0 this season and have won 14 straight overall with Michael Pratt as their starting quarterback. The junior, who had a pair of touchdown passes in last week's 29-16 victory against UTSA, was instrumental in Tulane's rout of SMU last year, throwing for three scores and running for three more. The club racked up 310 yards on the ground in that contest and created five turnovers while posting its largest margin of victory against the Mustangs since 1990.
Both of Pratt's TD passes last week were to redshirt freshman receiver Chris Brazzell II, who has made 12 catches for 196 yards and three scores in his last two contests. Pratt came up with a huge performance versus UCF in last year's AAC title game, completing 20-of-33 attempts for 394 yards and four touchdowns while also running for a score. Redshirt freshman running back Makhi Hughes is 12th in the nation with 1,246 rushing yards after gaining a career-high 166 against UTSA for his seventh 100-yard effort in eight contests. See which team to pick here.
Why SMU can cover
The Mustangs are averaging 41.8 points, which ranks them fourth in the country, and have produced at least 31 in each of their 10 victories this season. The club scored 52 points in the first half against Navy despite losing starting quarterback Preston Stone to a broken leg in the second quarter. SMU now will turn the duties over to redshirt freshman Kevin Jennings, who has completed 18-of-24 pass attempts this season for 224 yards and three TDs without an interception this year.
SMU could be without its top two rushers for the second straight week as Jaylan Knighton (645 yards, 6 TDs) and LJ Johnson Jr. (542, 3) missed the victory against the Midshipmen with undisclosed injuries. That would open the door for Tyler Lavine, who leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns after recording three versus Navy. The senior led the Mustangs in both rushing (82) and receiving (62) yards in last year's loss to Tulane, while tight end RJ Maryland had the best performance of his freshman season in the contest as he made six catches for 61 yards and a pair of TDs. See which team to pick here.
How to make Tulane vs. SMU picks
SportsLine's model is going Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 56 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Tulane vs. SMU, and which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the SMU vs. Tulane spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of well over $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
