Cincinnati vs. Tulane Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Michael Pratt and the Green Wave Keep Rolling?
Cincinnati vs. Tulane Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Michael Pratt and the Green Wave Keep Rolling?
Tulane has been one of the most profitable teams against the spread this season under seventh-year head coach Willie Fritz. The Green Wave are playing great football, averaging over 35 points per game and holding opponents under 20 points per game, which both rank inside the top 30 out of 131 FBS programs. Junior quarterback Michael Pratt has a 5:1 touchdown to interception ratio while utilizing his mobility to rack up 317 rushing yards and nine touchdowns as a ball carrier. Junior running back Tyjae Spears has been a highly effective runner, averaging 6.4 YPC and logging 12 rushing touchdowns. He's only four yards shy of hitting the illustrious 1,000-yard season but will have to earn it against a tough Cincinnati defense.
The Bearcats put their brand on national recognition in 2021 as the first non-Power 5 program to make the College Football Playoff, challenging Alabama at times in a 27-6 loss. Sixth-year head coach Luke Fickell has Cincinnati playing another good season of football despite losing pieces like quarterback Desmond Ridder, wide receiver Alec Pierce, and cornerback Sauce Gardner to the NFL this past offseason. An opening loss to Arkansas was a tough way to start the 2022 season, but the Bearcats have looked sharp since stumbling, losing only one other game by one possession to UCF a few weeks ago.
Will the Green Wave continue covering the spread as road underdogs? Or will the Bearcats return home to the Queen City and earn a convincing win to lock themselves back into the American Athletic Conference Championship game? Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for Friday's AAC matchup between the Tulane Green Wave vs. Cincinnati Bearcats.
Can Tulane keep rolling? Just click here to claim over $5,000 worth of sports betting bonuses for Cincinnati vs. Tulane or any other Week 13 NCAAF game!
Cincinnati vs. Tulane Start Time and Where to Watch
- Date: Friday, November 25th
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: ABC
Cincinnati vs. Tulane Odds
- Spread: Tulane +2.5 (-110), Cincinnati -2.5 (-110)
- Total: Under/Over 47 (-110)
- Moneyline: Tulane (+125), Cincinnati (-145)
Click here for Cincinnati vs. Tulane Odds
Cincinnati vs. Tulane Injury Report
Tulane
QB Justin Ibieta (Out - Shoulder), RB Cameron Carroll (Out - Leg)
Cincinnati
QB Ben Bryant (Questionable - Foot), RB Ethan Wright (Questionable - Undisclosed), TE Leonard Taylor (Questionable - Undisclosed)
Cincinnati vs. Tulane Prediction
To say that this game has been one-sided would be an understatement. Cincinnati has won three of the past four head-to-head matchups by double-digit margins, excluding a 17-16 win in Tulane back in 2017. Luke Fickell still has the Bearcats playing great football despite losing several of its top players to the NFL. Last weekend, Cincinnati held Temple to three points in a 23-3 rout, requiring only two total touchdowns to win the game comfortably. The Bearcats now sit at 9-2, tied with Tulane for the best record in the AAC.
The Green Wave have had a much more improbable rise to their current 9-2 record. Tulane is ranked 21st in the nation while reaching 16th as their highest point in the AP Top 25 this season. They hosted SMU and blew them out 59-24 in Week 12, bouncing back from a disappointing 38-31 loss to UCF. That's the common theme between these two top teams in the AAC. Losing to the UCF Golden Knights. UCF is right on the heels of Tulane and Cincinnati at 8-3 and they will be gifted a matchup against 1-10 USF to close out their season with hopes of making the AAC Championship game.
Last year, Cincinnati defeated Houston 35-20 to win the AAC, while beating Tulsa 27-24 the previous year. It's been a conference dominated by Fickell and the Bearcats, but Tulane has become an offensive juggernaut under head coach Willie Fritz. The Green Wave are a run-centric offensive scheme, fresh off totaling 42 carries for 310 rushing yards and five touchdowns against SMU. They can get it done through the air as well, recording eight passing touchdowns in its last three games played. Cincinnati will need to prepare its defense to stop a dynamic rushing attack comprised of Pratt and Spears in the Green Wave's backfield. On the year, the Bearcats have only allowed 3.3 YPC, but they recently gave up over 5.0 YPC to UCF and ECU. Even USF averaged 5.2 YPC, which could mean that Tulane is poised for an upset on the road.
As previously mentioned, Tulane is the most profitable FBS program ATS in 2022, with a record of 9-2. They are 4-0 ATS on the road this season, which is even more enticing toward betting on the Green Wave to continue covering as 2.5-point underdogs in Cincinnati. Conversely, the Bearcats are also 9-2 overall, but only 3-8 ATS this season. Most of their bad outings have happened on the road at 1-5 ATS, but they are only 2-3 ATS at home. The Bearcats have only covered 38.9 percent of games as the betting favorite, while Tulane is undefeated as road underdogs.
Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant is dealing with a foot injury and has completed 55 percent or fewer of his attempts in four of his past five games. Tulane is more susceptible to the pass than the run, which makes it harder for Cincinnati to establish its identity in the rushing attack. The Green Wave forced five turnovers in Week 12 while holding opposing quarterbacks to four total passing touchdowns across the past three weeks. They aren't scared of the big moment, as noted in their 17-10 win against Kansas State back in Week 3, so take Tulane to cover as 2.5-point road underdogs in a must-win matchup for a berth in the AAC Championship game.
Cincinnati vs. Tulane Pick
- Tulane +2.5 (-110) Bet $100 to collect $190. BetMGM has the best odds, click here
Article Author
Matt is an avid writer, editor, and researcher. He enjoys analyzing the game within the game which is fantasy sports and sports betting. Music is another constant in his daily life. Matt loves spending time with his wife and three pets. He likes to read, listen to podcasts, and is constantly motivated to create the most accurate and engaging content in the sports betting industry.