Army is a 9.5-point road underdog at 9-1 Tulane today.
The Black Knights seek their second win of the season as a heavy underdog. Army defeated Kansas State when it was getting 17.5 points.
The Tulane line was double digits in favor of the Green Wave during the week.
This is a rematch of last year’s American Conference championship game, won by Army 35-14 at West Point.
Army’s defense faces its greatest challenge of the season from a quarterback in BYU transfer Jake Retzlaff. Retzlaff doesn’t make many if any mistakes. He hasn’t thrown an interception in 161 attempts and is coming off a season-high 347 passing yards in win over East Carolina.
Army quarterback Cale Hellums, who will make his fourth start, has rushed for 241 yards and five touchdowns during the team’s two-game winning streak. Tulane has allowed two 100-yard rushers this season.
Sal Interdonato (Black Knight Nation): Tulane 28, Army 24. Expect this game to decided in the fourth quarter if Army wins time of possession and doesn’t turn the ball over. If the Black Knights’ offense hits on more big plays (20 yards or more), we could see an upset.
Seth Mendelson (Black Knight Nation): Tulane 35, Army 10. Army’s defense must play its best game of the year. But the Green Wave simply has too many offensive weapons and a steady quarterback, who knows how to get the job done.
Cuthbert Hutton (Sidelines Army): Army 24, Tulane 20. Army struggles to run base packages as Tulane aims for revenge and is ready for Hellums’ under-center triple option. OC Worley will get creative to force Tulane out of the box before establishing runs up the middle. Hellums will finish with over 100 yards passing. Army’s D will key on putting pressure on Retzlaff, and Tulane will move the ball effectively but get bogged down on short fields. Army pulls it out.
Predictions from across the college football universe
Joshua Nunn (Action Network): Tulane -9.5
Sean Barnard (Draft Kings Network): Army + 10
Riley Donald (College Sportswire): Tulane 24, Army 17
