Ole Miss vs. Tulane Odds
| Ole Miss Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -115 | 66.5 -105o / -115u | -275 |
| Tulane Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -110 | 66.5 -105o / -115u | +225 |
As we head into Week 2, one of the more appealing matchups is the Tulane Green Wave hosting the Ole Miss Rebels at Yulman Stadium.
The Rebels, unsurprisingly, had their way with Mercer in a 73-7 throttling. Now the 20th-ranked squad takes on its first competitive adversary early in its season.
Coach Lane Kiffin has done a solid job turning this program around — a 24-13 record in his three seasons in Oxford. With an 8-5 record last season, there’s hope this campaign will be one of the best in Kiffin’s tenure.
Last season, Tulane put its program on the map. The Green Wave went 12-2 and surprised most by taking down the reigning Heisman Trophy winner — Caleb Williams — and USC in the Cotton Bowl. They picked up right where they left off too, taking down South Alabama at home, 37-17, in Week 1.
Ole Miss Rebels
There was a question as to who was going to start this season at QB, and it seemed as if Jaxson Dart has taken the reins. Dart had a mediocre season last year, but stepped up against Mercer, throwing for 334 yards while completing 18-of-23 passes.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the run game be a big part of this offense again. Ole Miss’ run game is special, and having Quinshon Judkins surely helps. It’s currently 17th in Success Rate, generates a ton of explosiveness and is 18th in the country with a .27 PPA.
After a mesmerizing freshman year, Judkins looks to repeat a season in which he had over 1,500 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Last week, he posted two touchdowns, along with 63 yards rushing. As soon as the game got out of hand, it was then time to give the backups some burn.
The receiving game is something to keep an eye on. Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins both had six receptions for over 100 yards. Harris though, had four (!) touchdowns, so it’s clear that he’s one of Dart’s favorite targets after transferring from Louisiana Tech.
Defensively is where I’m a bit concerned. Against Mercer, the Rebels did a fine job limiting the Bears to just a touchdown and nabbed an interception. But Kiffin didn’t seem pleased with newly-hired defensive coordinator Pete Golding after the game.
With a worthy opponent this time, it’ll be interesting to see if the Rebels can perform better than the 87th-ranked Success Rate they have.
They certainly have an explosive defense, and they can make plays, but they were incredibly inconsistent in 2022. The 27.4 points per game they allowed last year was 63rd in the nation, which contributed to their five losses.
Tulane Green Wave
The Green Wave haven’t had a season like 2022-23 since 1998, so you can imagine the excitement behind this program.
What will be tough is replacing the production of running back Tyjae Spears, who's now in the NFL. Spears was the main catalyst for Tulane’s offense, forcing others to step up in 2023.
Quarterback Michael Pratt just keeps getting better. Last year, he threw for 3,009 yards, but on Saturday, he played out of his mind.
According to PFF, he was the highest-ranked quarterback in the nation; he had a 98 passing grade, threw for four touchdowns and completed 14 out of 15 passes for 294 yards. Granted, South Alabama is nothing special, but last week was still impressive.
Also of note: later in that game, he was seen limping, but he told reporters that he’s fine.
Without Spears, it’s looking like a running back room by committee. The Green Wave still want to run the ball, but they’re still trying to figure out who will lead the charge. Pratt led the team in yards and attempts, while Makhi Hughes and Shedro Louis weren’t too far behind.
That’s not to say they weren’t effective. They’re currently 19th in generating Explosiveness and 46th in Success Rate.
The vertical threats were deadly, though. Jha’Quan Jackson, Lawrence Keys III and Chris Brazzell played significant roles and were responsible for all of Tulane’s scoring.
There will need to be some work on defense, though. Against a much weaker South Alabama squad, the Green Wave let up 17 points.
While the run defense was solid, the pass defense needs to be better; they’re currently 70th in Success Rate and are among the worst in the country in creating Havoc.
Ole Miss vs. Tulane
Betting Pick & Prediction
What I see here is two explosive offenses going at it with very questionable defenses. Both teams were able to generate a ton of scoring last week, and I see no reason why the scoreboard won’t be lit up again.
I’m more concerned about Tulane’s defense because of how much it let up to South Alabama. The Rebels did a decent job against a lowly Mercer team, but I’m still skeptical on how they may perform.
The addition of Harris to this Ole Miss roster is a game changer. Pair him up with Judkins, and it’s looking like the Rebels will have an explosive unit. It all depends on if Dart can stay consistent.
I’m targeting the total here because it seems like the perfect storm for an over. The number set is 66.5, which may seem high at a first glance. However, I think anything goes for this game. Pratt keeps getting better, and he, the receivers and the rushing attack are all first class for Ole Miss.
Not only that, but last season, Tulane hit the over in 57% of its games, while Ole Miss was only at 46%. Either way, I do think this is a game that has a ton of potential to go over and could end up being a classic.
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