Memphis Tigers (6-0 SU, 3-2-1 ATS) vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (3-3 SU, 3-2-1 ATS)
College Football Week 8
Date/Time: Friday, October 23rd, 8:00pm
Where: Chapman Stadium Tulsa, Oklahoma
TV: ESPN
by Bob, NCAA Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: MEM -11 / TUL +11
Over/Under Total: OFF
Friday night, the newly ranked Memphis Tigers will travel into Tulsa and take on the Golden Hurricanes. Of course, Memphis is coming off of one of their biggest wins in program history when they upset the Ole Miss rebels by a score of 37-24 this past Saturday. Now at 6-0, people are starting to wonder can Memphis be a serious thought to play in the college football final four. Of course their resume is not close to that of an SEC or Big Ten team, but hey, they are 1-0 versus the SEC this season. The only question this week is: Does Memphis continue winning, or are they due for a letdown after such a great win?
The line on this game opens with Memphis favored on the road by 11 points. The over under has yet to be set, but I am going to go on a limb and think that it will be in the mid 50s. However, there is no play on that just yet. As of Monday morning, 67% of the betting action is already on Memphis. Of course, this is probably due to the fact that they just came off their big win, so now the public feels they are the play to make. On the season, both teams are 3-2-1 against the spread and head to head, Tulsa has covered in four of the last five contests dating back to 1995. I can seriously see this being a good game seeing as how it is a night game in Tulsa, and now one of the nations hottest teams are coming to town.
Other than that crazy ending to the Michigan State/Michigan game this past weekend, Memphis was the story of the day. Upsetting Ole Miss made many take a serious look at Memphis as a true contender. Memphis is ranked 18th in the nation now and statistically, you can find them all in the top 25 for various categories. The Tigers have the 11th best passing offense led by quarterback, Paxton Lynch. They also boast the 8th best scoring offense as well as only allowing a tad over 25 points per game. Schedule wise, Memphis is a little weak. Other than the win against Ole Miss, their only other respectable win is a 53-46 shootout they won over Cincinnati just a couple of weeks ago. The key for this Friday night is a very simple one, and it may seem somewhat clich. Do NOT come in flat. Yes, they are coming off a huge win not only for this season, but for the entire Memphis Tigers football program. Many times though, that can be the death of most teams. Come into to Tulsa, play focused, play hard, and do not take the game light. End of story.
Tulsa welcomes Memphis with open arms this Friday night. Tulsa is not really playing for much in 2015. At 3-3 and 0-2 in the conference, they would just be happy right now playing spoiler for Memphis and their pipe dream of becoming a playoff program. Tulsa actually moves the ball pretty well. They average 354 yards passing a game, which puts them in the top ten of the FBS. They also gain another 196 yards per contest on the ground. With that type of offense, you would expect them to score more than 33 a game, but that is still a solid number. So you look, and Tulsa has a pretty good offense, so how are they 3-3? Well, the defense. The Golden Hurricanes are allowing their opponents to score almost 35 points a game. This has them ranked 105th in the FBS for points allowed. This Friday night, that is key. Tulsa needs to play a little better on defense, and also keep that offense clicking. If they can be solid, or at least average, on both sides of the ball, it will not be easy for Memphis to come in and cover the two scores.
Memphis coming off of a huge win. 67% of the action is on Memphis. ESPN and the media is talking about them. The Tigers are ranked. Tulsa has historically covered in this game. Friday night, on the road. Sound like I am rambling? Maybe a little, but those are the factors I am thinking about when making this pick. I am fading the public on this one. Do I think Memphis loses to Tulsa? Probably not, but I think we have a game that will be decided midway through the fourth quarter. I like the Tulsa offense enough to make things interesting but late I like Memphis to squeak by. I predict a 34-27 Memphis win but that means Tulsa is the play here.
Bobs Pick to Cover the Point Spread: PICK THE TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANES +11!
Additional College Football Betting Previews