In the world of college football, never let a spread deceive you.
Charlotte (3-5, 2-2 AAC) may open as a 17-point underdog to Tulane, but don’t make the mistake that the Green Wave are guaranteed a victory. The 49ers were seconds away from upsetting a one-less Memphis team last weekend after opening as similar three-score dogs.
Tulane (6-2, 4-0) looks to avoid a similar flirt with catastrophe, needing every style point available as one of the handful of Group of 5 teams still in the mix for an automatic College Football Playoff berth.
The Green Wave allowed two last-minute touchdowns last week against North Texas and nearly fell victim to a backdoor cover by the Mean Green. Can they keep their foot on the gas for all 60 minutes against Charlotte?
With a spread of Tulane -15 and an over/under of 56, let's dive into my Tulane vs. Charlotte prediction and college football picks for Thursday, Oct. 31.
Tulane Green Wave vs. Charlotte 49ers Prediction
- Tulane vs. Charlotte Pick: Tulane -15.5
My Charlotte vs. Tulane best bet is on the Green Wave to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at BetMGM, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Tulane vs. Charlotte Odds, Spread, Line
| Tulane Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14.5 -110 | 54 -110 / -110 | -650 |
| Charlotte Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+15.5 -110 | 54 -110 / -110 | +475 |
- Tulane vs. Charlotte Spread: Tulane -14.5
- Tulane vs. Charlotte Over/Under: 54 Totsl Points
- Tulane vs. Charlotte Moneyline: Tulane -650 · Charlotte +475
Tulane Football vs. Charlotte Football Preview
Tulane Green Wave Betting Preview: Wave Still Rolling
Despite two early-season losses to Power Four teams, Tulane remains one of three AAC teams with unblemished conference records (along with Navy and Army).
The winners of five straight, Jon Sumrall’s Green Wave haven’t skipped a beat from 2023, even after losing their star quarterback to the NFL and head coach Willie Fritz to Houston.
During the winning streak, the offense has clicked into high gear, scoring over 40 points in four of their five games.
With quarterback Michael Pratt gone, Tulane’s offensive identity has been defined by its ground game. The Green Wave run at the fifth-highest rate in the FBS and average 216.8 yards per game.
Running back Makhi Hughes has put together one of the most statistically prolific seasons in the country. The sophomore ranks seventh in the FBS with 939 rushing yards and has found the end zone seven times in the last four games.
Freshman quarterback Darian Mensah has been another positive development for the Green Wave offense, with the passer leading all qualified AAC quarterbacks with 9.6 yards per attempt.
The Green Wave pass defense had been playing well during the win streak until it met Chandler Morris and North Texas last week. After giving up just two total passing touchdowns in the three games prior, Tulane allowed Morris to pass for 449 yards and three touchdowns in the Green Waves’ 45-37 win.
Even with North Texas scoring 37, Tulane has kept its opponents out of the end zone better than almost any AAC team. Tulane’s 21 touchdowns allowed are the second-fewest in the conference.
Charlotte 49ers Betting Preview: Surprises in Charlotte
It’s been a weird year for Charlotte, but then again, that's life with Biff Poggi.
One week Poggi’s 49ers are being blown out by 34 points against Navy, despite outgaining the Midshipmen by 70 yards. Another week, Charlotte is leading a 6-1 Memphis team with under a minute to play.
Much of Charlotte's inconsistencies fall squarely on its offense, which is one of the worst in the FBS. The 49ers are in the bottom 25 of both Pass Success Rate and Rush Success Rate, and only 11 teams have allowed more than Charlotte’s 24 sacks.
The line of scrimmage has been the biggest bugaboo for the 49ers. Charlotte ranks 12th in the American Athletic Conference with 126.0 rushing yards per game, and it sits bottom=10 nationally in Line Yards and Havoc allowed.
The defense has been only marginally better. Last week, Charlotte allowed 212 rushing yards to Memphis, the third time in the last five games that the 49ers have given up over 200 yards on the ground.
Charlotte has allowed 11 rushing scores over that same span. Both stats are particularly concerning against one of the most run-heavy teams in the nation in Tulane.
Charlotte vs. Tulane Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Charlotte and Tulane match up statistically:
Tulane Offense vs. Charlotte Defense
 |  Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 72 | 101 | |
| Line Yards | 43 | 88 | |
| Pass Success | 12 | 69 | |
| Havoc | 31 | 53 | |
| Finishing Drives | 28 | 93 | |
| Quality Drives | 33 | 111 | |
Charlotte Offense vs. Tulane Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 100 | 27 | |
| Line Yards | 107 | 33 | |
| Pass Success | 116 | 20 | |
| Havoc | 127 | 32 | |
| Finishing Drives | 59 | 47 | |
| Quality Drives | 104 | 49 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 107 | 105 |
| PFF Coverage | 69 | 102 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 28 | 58 |
| Middle 8 | 8 | 112 |
| Seconds per Play | 30.9 (131) | 28.4 (95) |
| Rush Rate | 66% (5) | 54% (78) |
How to Bet My Tulane vs. Charlotte Pick
Charlotte may have come dangerously close to beating Memphis last week, but it won’t do the same against Tulane. That was a gutting loss for the 49ers, who now have to defend their home field on a short week.
The Green Wave also excel at Charlotte’s biggest weakness. The 49ers have been dominated along the trenches all season, and few teams love to run the ball more than Tulane.
One of those teams that does run the ball more than the Green Wave is Navy, which just two weeks ago rushed for nearly 200 yards and scored 51 points on the 49ers.
Tulane is the cream of the ACC crop, and it will show why in a blowout win over Charlotte.
Pick: Tulane -15.5 (Play to -16.5)
Tulane vs. Charlotte Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Jerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| Date: | Thursday, Oct. 31 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN |
The Tulane Green Wave meet the Charlotte 49ers on Thursday night in Charlotte at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Tulane vs. Charlotte Betting Trends
- 92% of bets and 94% of the money are on Charlotte to cover the spread
- 82% of bets and 53% of the money on the moneyline are on Tulane to win outright
- 72% of bets and 88% of the money are on the over
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Tulane vs. Charlotte Weather
