On Saturday night, we have an intriguing AAC/Conference USA clash between the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (1-2) and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (1-1) at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Oklahoma State destroyed Tulsa last week, as the game was uncompetitive by the end of the first quarter.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs nearly pulled off an impressive upset at NC State but couldn't close it out in the fourth quarter. The drastic difference of both programs' momentum entering the matchup is quite remarkable.
Tulsa enters the matchup as three-point underdogs on the spread, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the number steam up before kickoff. The total is set at 57.5.
Let's make a Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech prediction.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Prediction
- Louisiana Tech vs. Tulsa Pick: Tulsa +3.5
My Tulsa-LT best bet is on the Golden Hurricane spread, with the best line currently available at FanDuel, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech Odds, Line, Spread
| Tulsa Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 57.5 -110o / -110u | +120 |
| LA Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 57.5 -110o / -110u | -140 |
- Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech Point Spread: Tulsa +2.5 · Louisiana Tech -2.5
- Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech Total: Over/Under 57.5
- Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech Moneyline: Tulsa ML +120 · Louisiana Tech ML -140
Tulsa Football vs. Louisiana Tech Football Preview
Tulsa Golden Hurricane Betting Preview: Expect an Improved Defensive Showing
Tulsa didn't stand a chance against the Pokes last weekend, and many are questioning how truly bad they are. The Golden Hurricane enter the matchup 1-2, but they lost to an Arkansas State team that looked completely inept against Michigan last week.
That might be a bit of an overreaction, but I have a feeling that the Golden Hurricane offense is due to turn things around.
QB Kirk Francis needs to be better, but the Bulldogs are undoubtedly a much easier matchup than the Pokes. Francis has shown flashes in the past that he's capable of slinging it consistently, and they need him to add balance to their offense.
Despite the poor effort last week, Tulsa is top-25 in offensive line yards and Havoc Allowed. They're also top-50 in rushing success rate and 65th in quality drives. The passing attack has yet to break out, but they're 78th in that category.
On paper, it seems like a tough matchup against the Bulldogs' defense, but I take last week's results with a grain of salt. Grayson McCall got injured for the Wolfpack, so the Louisiana Tech defense caught a break for three quarters of the game.
Despite that, the Bulldogs still allowed the Wolfpack offense to score 30 points, so I think their defensive metrics are a bit inflated. Louisiana Tech's defense doesn't create much Havoc, so right away, Tulsa should be able to move the ball more consistently.
Defensively, Tulsa's identity is in the trench. It's 41st in defensive rushing success rate and 60th in Havoc.
The secondary is an absolute nightmare, as they're outside the top 130 in passing success rate. They're also 106th in finishing drives, so opposing teams have been getting into the end zone at will once they cross the 40-yard line.
Luckily for them, the Bulldogs' offensive metrics are stunningly ugly, so the defense could catch a break. I would expect a much stronger effort on the defensive side of the ball from Tulsa this week.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Betting Preview: Fade This Struggling Offense
I truly thought Louisiana Tech was going to pull off the miraculous upset last week, but its offense couldn't string together much momentum in the second half.
Now, the Bulldogs need to ground themselves back to Earth for their home matchup against Tulsa.
The issue for the Bulldogs is that despite their effort last week, there are a ton of issues for them on the offensive side of the ball. QB Jack Turner returned to action after getting injured against Nicholls in the opener, and he sports a 53% completion percentage with two touchdowns and and interception.
The Bulldogs rank outside the top 100 in the following offensive categories: rush success, line yards, Havoc and quality drives. If you want to include the top 90, they'd be outside that group in finishing drives, as well.
It's been quite ugly thus far, and I'm not quite sure how low the ceiling can get for the unit as a whole.
I realize they faced a typically strong Wolfpack defense last week, but they allowed 50 points to Tennessee the week prior.
Also, they only scored 25 points against Nicholls in their opener, so why should last week be treated as an outlier?
Defensively, things do get better for the Bulldogs. They're top-50 in rushing success rate and line yards, and have done a good job holding their oppositions out of the end zone.
But let's be real: NC State didn't have McCall for most of the game last week, and the Bulldogs needed two turnovers against Nicholls to win by eight points.
I was low on Louisiana Tech entering the season, and I think the market is severely overreacting to last week. Despite how bad Tulsa's secondary has been, I can't trust this offense one bit.
Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Tulsa and Louisiana Tech match up statistically:
Tulsa Offense vs. Louisiana Tech Defense
 | Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 49 | 30 | |
| Line Yards | 22 | 49 | |
| Pass Success | 78 | 62 | |
| Havoc | 44 | 82 | |
| Finishing Drives | 72 | 41 | |
| Quality Drives | 65 | 51 | |
Louisiana Tech Offense vs. Tulsa Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 132 | 41 | |
| Line Yards | 129 | 64 | |
| Pass Success | 115 | 132 | |
| Havoc | 105 | 60 | |
| Finishing Drives | 90 | 106 | |
| Quality Drives | 122 | 80 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 70 | 91 |
| PFF Coverage | 121 | 79 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 111 | 61 |
| Middle 8 | 46 | 36 |
| Seconds per Play | 25.7 (36) | 25.8 (39) |
| Rush Rate | 52% (60) | 47% (111) |
How to Bet Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech Predictions
Tulsa isn't getting much respect in the market after last week, which makes sense.
However, I think the public is overvaluing Louisiana Tech's effort against NC State last week.
It might be ugly, but this is a terrific buy-low opportunity for Tulsa. I have much more confidence that its offense can outshine the Bulldogs' unit.
Francis is a lot better than how he's being perceived, and there are leaks in the Bulldogs' defense that I think Tulsa can take advantage of.
There are far more advantages for the Tulsa offense over Louisiana Tech, and that gives me enough confidence that it can cover the number and probably win the game outright.
Pick: Tulsa +3.5
How to Watch Louisiana Tech vs. Tulsa
| Location: | Ruston, LA |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 21 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN+ |
NCAAF Betting Trends for Louisiana Tech-Tulsa
- 80% of the bets and 86% of the money is on Louisiana Tech to cover the spread.
- Meanwhile, 84% of the bets but just 50% of the money is on the under.
Tulsa vs. Louisiana Tech Weather
