Ole Miss vs Tulane Prediction & Picks: Will the Green Wave Wash Over the Rebels?

Two years ago, a top-20 Ole Miss team throttled Tulane 61-21 in an early-season college football matchup in Oxford. At the time, the two programs were on very different trajectories.

The Rebels, led by quarterback Matt Corral, who would be in the Heisman Trophy conversation for much of the season, won 10 games and reached the Sugar Bowl. The Green Wave, on the other hand, went 2-10.

Going into this Saturday’s showdown in New Orleans (3:30 pm ET, ESPN2), Ole Miss is once again ranked in the top 20 and is poised for a potential 10-win season.

But Tulane is also ranked and favored for a second straight American Athletic Conference championship, led by one of the bright spots from that 2-10 team.

With two elite offenses on the field, are we in for a shootout at Yulman Stadium?

Ole Miss vs Tulane Odds

Odds are via Bovada as of Thursday, September 7, 2023, at 12:00 pm ET.

Spread

• Ole Miss -7.5 (-110)
• Tulane +7.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 67 (-110)
• Under 67 (-110)

Moneyline

• Ole Miss -300
• Tulane +250

Can Tulane’s Defense Keep Dart Off Target?

Last week, Tulane opened their season with an impressive 37-17 win over South Alabama.

Against a unit that was one of the best in college football last season, the Green Wave compiled 436 yards. The lion’s share of those yards came through the air, as Michael Pratt was a near-perfect 14 of 15 for 294 yards and four touchdowns.

Pratt, the aforementioned bright spot from that dismal 2-10 team, threw his only incompletion on Tulane’s second drive of the game. From that point, he completed his final ten passes.

Pratt was also Tulane’s second leading rusher, tallying 39 yards on 11 attempts. On the ground, the Green Wave managed 142 yards at 3.7 yards a pop.

That represents a pretty decent night against the Jaguars, who were one of the nation’s stingiest defenses against the run last season and allowed 142 or more yards only three times in 13 games in 2022.

Top Performers for Tulane vs South Alabama

• QB Michael Pratt: 14 of 15, 294 yards, 4 TD passing; 11 attempts, 39 yards rushing
• WR Jha’Quan Jackson: three catches, 106 yards, 2 TD
• LB Corey Platt Jr.: 15 tackles, one sack
• DL Patrick Jenkins: five tackles, two sacks
• DL Kameron Hamilton: three tackles, two sacks

But Tulane will need a little more from their ground game against Ole Miss, for multiple reasons.

Along with the balance it will provide their offensive attack, even slightly limiting the number of possessions and plays that the Rebels have on offense can go a long way.

In their season-opening 73-7 win over Mercer, Ole Miss held the ball for only 24 minutes and 50 seconds. But they certainly made the most of that 24:50, racking up 667 yards on 74 plays, a return of 9.01 yards per play.

Given Ole Miss’s success on the ground last season, it might be somewhat surprising that 524 of those yards were through the air.

Incumbent starter Jaxson Dart was 18 of 23 for 334 yards and four touchdowns, while the two new additions, Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders (8 of 14, 134 yards, 2 TD) and LSU transfer Walker Howard (3 of 4, 56 yards), also produced in their time on the field.

Top Performers for Ole Miss vs Mercer

• QB Jaxson Dart: 18 of 23, 334 yards, 4 TD passing; four attempts, 36 yards rushing
• WR Tre Harris: six catches, 133 yards, 4 TD
• WR Jordan Watkins: six catches, 111 yards
• LB Suntarine Perkins: nine tackles, one sack
• DL Zxavian Harris: six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack

Using the opener against an FCS squad to air it out plenty isn’t so much of a surprise when that is an area that could make or break the Rebels this season.

After starting 7-0 last season, the Rebels lost five of their last six games. The likes of LSU and Mississippi State were able to keep Ole Miss’s vaunted rushing attack from putting up big yards, but Dart also couldn’t be counted on to win games with his arm.

Tulane was great against the run against South Alabama, limiting the Jaguars’ three running backs to just 86 yards on 23 carries (3.7 yards per carry). And keeping Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins, who ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries against Mercer, at bay will be key for the Green Wave’s hopes of a victory.

But if they can trouble Dart and force him into mistakes, inaccuracy, and inefficiency, not only will it enhance those hopes of a win, but it could also shorten Dart’s leash with the experienced Sanders now there.

Last week’s performance against South Alabama’s Carter Bradley gives reason for optimism in that area. Bradley completed 23 of his 30 passes, but he averaged only 6.3 yards per attempt, and he was picked off twice and sacked five times, twice each by Patrick Jenkins and Kameron Hamilton.

Ole Miss vs Tulane Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Tulane to win

Picks: Tulane +7.5 & Ole Miss/Tulane over 67

College football schedules are made years in advance, and when this series with Tulane was set, no one would have expected it to be must-see TV, and few–impartial parties, that is–would have seen it as a potential Tulane win.

But in addition to being one of the games that you should prioritize for your Saturday viewing, it is also very much a game that Tulane can win. In fact, I think it is a game that Tulane will win.

Where to Bet on Ole Miss vs Tulane

Most top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of college football odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to make weekly college football picks all the way from Week Zero to the College Football Playoff National Championship, you can also bet on Heisman Trophy odds, conference championship odds, win totals, and much more.

Along with Bovada, where the Ole Miss vs Tulane odds in this article are from, there are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for college football betting.

Below are some of the other books that we highly recommend:

• BetOnline
• BetUS
• Bookmaker
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.