Catch the tiger by the toe, or better yet, catch the Tigers while the number still looks too good to last. Memphis has been on a roll, and while Tulane is certainly capable of putting up a fight, it may not have enough to slow one of the nation's hottest offenses. The Tigers sit at 5-1, tied 23rd nationally in scoring at 38.5 points per game, and have scored between 38 and 59 points in each of their last three games. It's true that Tulane is undefeated at home, but those are also its only two wins, leaving the Green Wave at just 2-3
Total offense tells the story, with Memphis averaging 516.7 yards per game compared to Tulane's 333.4. The true catalyst for Memphis has been quarterback Marcus Stokes. In the Tigers' last road game at Charlotte, he threw for 318 yards and five touchdowns, showing that playing on the road is no handicap for him. Tulane's defense will have to step up significantly if it hopes to slow him down, a feat I don't believe it will be able to accomplish for four full quarters.
Memphis boasts one of the most balanced offenses in the nation, averaging 269.7 passing yards and 247 rushing yards per game. Tulane, meanwhile, has yet to show much brilliance against either facet and ranks 135th nationally in forced havoc plays, a metric that combines tackles for loss, pass breakups, and turnovers. In my opinion, that's a dangerous combination against a Memphis offense capable of attacking defenses from every angle. I see the Tigers reaching at least 31 points and covering the 6.5 cleanly. This number feels likely to move north, so my best advice is to grab the Tigers while the lines are still tame.
Memphis vs Tulane prediction: Memphis -6.5 (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable to -7.5 (-115).
