Memphis vs. Tulsa Total Pick
Will No. 22 Memphis and Tulsa find themselves in a shootout when the two AAC foes meet up Friday at 8PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Memphis is favored on the road, as the Tigers are getting odds of -12 points against Tulsa. The over/under total has been set at a whopping 78.5 points. Tulsa has won five of the last seven meetings with Memphis and the two have hit the over in their last three encounters. The public is currently putting 88 percent of the wagers on Memphis on the road. Friday’s game will take place from Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma and air live on ESPN2.
Memphis is coming off a 56-26 win over Tulane last week, its fourth straight victory. The Tigers are now 7-1 on the season and 4-1 in the AAC. They have posted a 6-2 record with the over. Memphis has a strong offense that is averaging 42.5 points and 500.3 yards per game this season. Riley Ferguson has thrown for 2,583 yards and 23 touchdowns this year to lead the unit while Anthony Miller has 61 receptions for 859 yards and 10 scores. Darrell Henderson is the leading rusher with 653 yards and four scores. Defensively, Memphis could certainly be better. The Tigers are allowing 33.4 points and 468 yards per contest this season. That includes 201.4 rushing yards per game.
Tulsa is coming off a 38-34 loss at SMU last week to fall to 2-7 on the season and just 1-4 in the AAC. The Golden Hurricanes are 5-4 with the under this season, but have hit it in five of their last six games. The issue for the team this year has been its defense, which is one of the worst in the nation. Tulsa is allowing 37.7 points and 550.1 yards per game this season, including 280 rushing yards per contest. Offensively, Tulsa is putting up 32.9 points and 446.2 yards per game. D’Angelo Brewer has run for 980 yards and eight touchdowns while Shamari Brooks has 687 yards and 10 touchdowns. Brooks is questionable for this game with a shoulder injury. Luke Skipper has been the starting QB in recent weeks and has 865 passing yards with three TDs and three INTs.
The total is set very high for two very bad defensive teams and pretty good offensive teams, but I never like betting on an over this high. Expecting both teams to get to an average of 40 points is a lot. It has happened in recent years, but Tulsa’s offense was much more potent than it is this season. Memphis certainly has the firepower, but I am not sure Tulsa can keep pace enough.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: MEMPHIS/TULSA UNDER 78.5