Houston vs. Tulane Odds: Cougars Open As 4.5-Point Favorite Over Green Wave
Houston vs. Tulane Odds: Cougars Open As 4.5-Point Favorite Over Green Wave
Date: Thursday, October 7, 2021
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Yulman Stadium, New Orleans, LA
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Houston Cougars Record: 4-1, 2-0 AAC Conf.
Tulane Green Wave Record:Â 1-4, 0-1 AAC Conf.
NCAA Football Week 6 Matchup: Houston vs. Tulane
An ACC showdown is on tap this Thursday when the Houston Cougars and Tulane Green Wave collide at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans. The Cougars will look to improve to a 5-1 record while the Green Wave will look to snap a three-game losing streak.
Houston and Tulane are headed in opposite directions right now, but bookmakers have rolled out a relatively understated line that belies the current state of affairs within each program. Houston is tipped as the 4.5-point road favorite while the total is projected to 62 points.
So, do the bookies have it right? Will this game be as close as the NCAA football line suggests? Or will the Cougars runaway with this game comfortably?
Houston Cougars Odds & Overview
Houston is coming off a commanding 45-10 road win over Tulsa on Friday night, coming through as the 3-point road underdogs to clinch their fourth win of the season. Surprisingly, the game wasn’t even close to the closing NCAAF odds and lines.
Tulsa was coming off hard-fought battles against Oklahoma State and Ohio State, so bookmakers projected another tough gridiron battle. Tale told the Hurricanes were underwhelming. Houston’s defense had quarterback Davis Brin under constant pressure, recording nine tackles, four sacks, and three interceptions. Tulsa’s offense simply couldn’t find a way forward.
Houston’s quarterback Clayton Tune went 17-of-24 for 241 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Jeremy Singleton and Seth Green. Running back Alton McCaskill rushed for three scores.
Houston’s offense got off to a bright start and never looked back as it took the 28-3 lead into halftime. They added another 17 points to Tulsa’s seven points in the second half to clinch the 35-point margin of victory.
Tulane Green Wave Odds & Overview
Tulane suffered a 52-29 loss to East Carolina in its AAC opener last weekend. The Green Wave entered the game as the 3-point road favorite, but they were overwhelmed right out of the gates in stunning fashion. The Green Wave defense went walkabout, and the offense couldn’t get anything going in the air or on the ground. Before they knew it, the first half was over, and they were staring into a 24-0 hole.
Late in the third quarter, after rallying behind a flurry of points, Green Wave got to within eight, 31-23. However, that was the closest it would get as the hosts pulled away in the fourth quarter. It marked one of the worst defeats of coach Willie Fritz’ six-year tenure at Tulane.
Quarterback Michael Pratt went 22-of-36 passing for 208 yards and a touchdown, but he threw three costly interceptions. He added another 21 yards on the ground and two scores while running back Cameron Carrol led the team in rushing with 80 yards and a score,
Houston vs. Tulane Odds
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | -4.5 | -227 | Over 60 |
| Tulane | +4.5 | +200 | Under 60 |
Books opened Houston vs. Tulane odds Sunday with the Cougars tipped as the 4.5-point road favorites. Houston is seeing the early money coming down the wire, prompting some sportsbooks to juice up the line to -115. If this betting trend towards the visitors continues, it will not be surprising for the line to move further in Houston’s favor.
Meanwhile, the total hit the board at 62 points, and bettors have been hammering the over ever since. Once again, this trend could trigger the line to move up too.
Houston’s 4-1 record on the season includes a 3-2-0 ATS mark, underscored by a 21.6-point average winning margin and a +8.0 differential versus the spread.
Tulane’s subpar 1-4 record on the season includes a 2-3-0 ATS mark, underscored by a -5.2 average losing margin and -6.8 differential versus the spread.
Houston vs. Tulane Betting Preview
These two programs are literally enjoying contrasting fortunes after five games. Houston is 4-1 while Tulane is 1-4 on the season. And yet, the market on this game is a bit of a head-scratcher.
High expectations preceded Tulane into the season after Fritz led Green Wave to back-to-back bowls (2018-2020). Talk of taking the next step was one of the top objectives in 2021. Instead, they’ve taken a giant step backward, and if they don’t turn things around soon, they’ll be out of bowl contention.
Perhaps, the disruption caused by Hurricane Ida threw the Green Wave off its equilibrium. Whatever the case is, things are going from bad to worse, and the schedule isn’t getting any easier for Tulane with SMU and Cincinnati looking in the coming weeks.
All told, there’s little to hang one’s hat on for Tulane in the betting. As such, the Houston Cougars, as the modest 4.5-point road favorites, are garnering a lot of attention from bettors at early doors.
Nikki Adams is a freelance sports writer that’s honed in on the world of sports betting. She joined OddsChecker in 2021 after having covered a number of major American sports, including NFL and NCAAF, for several other publications in the industry. When she’s not looking for the best betting angles and writing engaging and insightful articles, she’s likely on a tennis court or binging on reality TV.