The No. 18 Tulane Green Wave (11-2) and No. 8 USC Trojans (11-2) clash in Monday’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Kickoff at AT&T Stadium Stadium in Arlington is slated for 1 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Tulane vs. USC odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
Rankings courtesy of the AFCA Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Tulane is 3-0 straight-up and 3-0 against the spread (ATS) in its last 3 games. A balanced Green Wave offense has cranked out 35.2 points per game (22nd in FBS). It has been the Tulane ground game that has pulled more weight of late as the Wave has drowned out foes with 259.4 rushing yards per game since Nov. 5.
The Trojans have scored even more. USC ranks 3rd in the nation with its 41.1 PPG. Southern Cal got to the doorstop of the national title game, but lost to Utah 47-24 in the Dec. 2 Pac-12 Championship. That loss snapped a 5-game win streak.
USC was ranked 10th by the College Football Committee, Tulane 16th.
Stream select live college football games and full replays: Get ESPN+
Tulane vs. USC odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 12:41 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Tulane +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | USC -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Tulane +2.5 (-111) | USC -2.5 (-109)
- Over/Under (O/U): 63.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Catch the excitement and bet with Tipico
Double Down, Ohio! Deposit $200, Get $250. Bet now!
In Colorado and New Jersey, claim your 100% Deposit Match up to $250 now. Bet now! 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions.
Tulane vs. USC picks and predictions
Prediction
Tulane 28, USC 27
Moneyline
Southern Cal QB Caleb Williams (hamstring) is listed as probable, but how effective he will be if he plays is debatable. And the Heisman Trophy winner is running a Trojans offense down a few key pieces due to opt-outs.
Tulane strengths like defending the pass, getting stops in the red zone, and being diverse on offense play into a lean toward the Green Wave. USC’s defense — due mostly to iffy tackling — is prone to yielding more than a few chunk plays. On both sides of the ball, look for enough Tulane efficiency on early downs to make this game a toss up.
Consider a partial-unit play at Tulane +110.
Against the spread
USC coach Lincoln Riley has a 1-3 record in bowl games. As with above, Tulane has a shot in this one; we just want to get the right price. PASS on the current offering, but ride the Wave if a +2.5 gets priced under -110.
Over/Under
In the last 7 games, the Over in USC games is 7-0 and 6-1 in Tulane games. And on Monday, the total is a bit overcooked, and the Under has some slight value.
Either side has the strength to play some run-and-slow in the 4th if trying to get a lead to the shore line. The layoff and the neutral venue and some USC lineup shuffling plays into the leverage on a PARTIAL-UNIT PLAY ON THE UNDER 63.5 (-110).
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Want action on this game or any other NCAA football matchup? Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, SportsbookWire’s official sportsbook partner in OH, CO and NJ. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]