The Tulane Green Wave will visit the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Saturday as the American Athletic Conference season begins for the Tulane Green Wave. Tulsa dropped its first conference game of the season and will try to even their AAC record at 1-1 at the expense of a heavily-favored Tulane team. Before kickoff from Tulsa, continue reading to get my Tulane vs Tulsa prediction.
Our Tulane vs Tulsa Pick
- Pick: Tulane -15.5
- Confidence: 4/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Tulane Green Wave vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane
- Date & Time: Saturday, September 27, 2025, 4:00 PM EDT
- Venue: H.A. Chapman Stadium, Tulsa, OK
- Broadcast: ESPNU
Tulane vs Tulsa Odds
| Betting Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Spread | Tulane -15.5 |
| Moneyline | Tulane -750, Tulsa +475 |
| Total | 51.5 |
Key Storylines
Tulane’s Offensive Momentum
Tulane enters this game with a 3-1 record, thanks to a potent offense averaging 25 points per game. The Green Wave split their two games against power conference opponents this season, defeating Duke and losing to Ole Miss. The Green Wave will look to get back on track offensively after being held to 10 points by Ole Miss last week.
Tulsa’s Resilient Defense
Tulsa’s defense has been commendable this season, allowing an average of 20.5 points per game. They held Oklahoma State to just 12 points in a 19-12 upset of the Cowboys last week. If the Tulsa defense plays like that again here, the Golden Hurricane could get its second straight upset win.
Quarterback Play
Jake Retzlaff (Tulane)
Quarterback Jake Retzlaff has been instrumental to Tulane’s success so far this year. He has 578 passing yards and two touchdowns, along with 339 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. His dual-threat capability makes Tulane’s offense dynamic and challenging for opponents to contain.
Baylor Hayes (Tulsa)
Hayes has shown flashes of potential, throwing for 536 yards and three touchdowns this season. However, his two interceptions indicate areas for improvement from a decision-making standpoint. Against a Tulane defense that has been opportunistic, Hayes will need to minimize mistakes to keep Tulsa competitive.
Betting Trends & H2H
- Both teams are 2-2 against the spread to start the season.
- Tulane is 2-2 on over/unders so far this year.
- The total has gone over in just one of Tulsa’s first three games.
- Tulsa is 11-6 all-time against Tulane going into this chapter in their AAC rivalry.
Tulane vs Tulsa Model Projection
Score Projection: Tulane 34 – Tulsa 17
Win Probability: Tulane 85%, Tulsa 15%
Final Thoughts
Tulsa’s win over Oklahoma State was impressive, but it is also worth noting that Oklahoma State has fired Mike Gundy since then. That win is not as impressive as it might have been in previous years. I think that Tulane will send Tulsa crashing back to earth this weekend. My recommendation is to lay the points with the Green Wave, who will bounce back nicely from their loss to Ole Miss.
