The Central Florida Knights and Tulane Green Wave are scheduled to meet in the AAC Championship in New Orleans on Saturday. This is not a neutral site championship, as Tulane will host the Knights for the conference title. We have our Central Florida vs Tulane predictions and best bets at Yulman Stadium.
Most conference championships are at a neutral site. However, the AAC does things differently and rewards the team that finishes with the best record. After a 27-24 win at Cincinnati in the regular season finale, Tulane earned the right to host the championship.
See y’all Uptown! AAC Championship runs through the 504!#RollWave | #1and0 pic.twitter.com/66ogLEQdHo
— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB) November 25, 2022
via@GreenWaveFB
The Green Wave are a win away from winning the AAC Championship and going to a New Year’s Six bowl. The last time Tulane won a conference championship was in the Conference USA in 1998. Tulane won three SEC Championships in 1934, 1939, and 1949.
Tulane has not been this relevant since the 1949 team. They are going into the AAC Championship with a record of 10-2. One of their two losses was against Central Florida on November 12, 38-31. That ended a five-game winning streak for the Green Wave.
Since the loss, Tulane has won back-to-back games, including a 59-24 loss to SMU and the 3-point win in the regular season finale. Tulane wanted a rematch against the Knights and they get it this weekend.
NO. 22 UCF AVOIDS THE UPSET!
The Knights defeat USF and clinch a berth in the AAC Championship Game vs. Tulane. pic.twitter.com/T7JWTs2u4V
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 27, 2022
via@ESPNCFB
Central Florida is coming off a tougher win than expected against South Florida. They got into a 46-39 shootout to reach the AAC Championship. The Knights were not close to covering the 19.5-point spread.
This was a decent enough response from the Knights after a 17-14 upset as 14.5-point favorites against the Navy Midshipmen. UCF is going into New Orleans at 9-3 on the year.
Head below for our best UCF vs. Tulane betting pick and best bets in the AAC Championship on December 3, 2022.
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Central Florida Knights vs. Tulane Green Wave Live Betting Odds:
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCF Knights | +3.5 (-105) | +150 | Over 56.5 (-110) |
| Tulane Green Wave | -3.5 (-115) | -175 | Under 56.5 (-110) |
| Team Data | UCF Knights | Tulane Green Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 9-3 | 10-2 |
| ATS Record | 7-5-0 | 10-2-0 |
| Away/Home Record | 4-1 | 5-2 |
| ATS Away/Home | 3-2-0 | 5-2-0 |
| Yards Per Game | 486.1 | 416.1 |
| Yards Against Per Game | 360.8 | 336.8 |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 242.8 | 223.8 |
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 243.3 | 192.3 |
UCF vs. Tulane Predictions
The Tulane Green Wave have been one of the best bets in college football this season. Tulane has covered the spread in 10 of 12 games. If you followed Tulane all season, you are well aware of how good they can be.
They were not the better team at home on November 12, though. The Knights got the win as a 1-point favorite on the road. Back at Yulman Stadium for the AAC Championship, now Central Florida is a 3.5-point underdog.
Central Florida has been a pretty good bet this season, as well. They are 7-5 against the spread going into the conference title game. The odds do not suggest that the Knights are a New Year’s Six team, though.
Feed Tyjae Spears The Ball
The best running back in the AAC is going to see a heavy workload in the AAC Championship. Spears is coming off another standout performance to get the Green Wave to this game. He ran for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns on 5.2 yards per carry.
The Knights were just okay on defense against the run this season. They allowed an average of 149.3 yards per game. Central Florida has to expect another big performance from Spears.
Tyjae Spears making them miss!😤#AmericanFB x @GreenWaveFB pic.twitter.com/NL06G39xik
— American Football (@American_FB) November 25, 2022
via@American_FB
Overall on the season, Spears has rushed for 1,177 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 6.2 yards per carry. It is tough on defenses when the Green Wave have a capable quarterback, as well.
Michael Pratt has been solid, with 21 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions on 64.9% completions. He’s also rumbled for 9 touchdowns on the ground as a runner.
Did Tulane Learn Their Lesson?
Is the defense going to be better prepared for John Rhys Plumlee this time? Plumlee ran all over Tulane for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns in the regular season meeting. He also passed for another touchdown in the 38-31 win.
This was unlike anything we’ve seen from the Tulane defense. It was the only game where the defense was missing assignments and getting lost all game. Tulane has otherwise been rock solid this season.
They are 27th in the FBS with 336.8 yards allowed per game. The Green Wave have been especially physical and athletic in the secondary. Going into the AAC Championship, Tulane has given up just 182.2 passing yards per game.
Central Florida vs. Tulane Betting Pick:
The Green Wave most likely looked at the tape and will have a good plan for Plumlee. If Tulane figures Plumlee out then it’s going to be difficult for the Knights in the AAC Championship Game.
The offense runs through Plumlee, so Central Florida would need another option to show up big. That is unlikely to occur at Tulane in New Orleans. Tulane has a decent advantage on the Knights’ defense in this one.
The unanimous @American_FB Coach of the Year @CoachWEFritz sat down with @Morgan_Uber to discuss the historic 2022 season and what @GreenWaveFB looks to improve against the only team to defeat them in Conference play. pic.twitter.com/en69YwT8zv
— The American (@American_Conf) December 1, 2022
via@American_FB
Plumlee left last week with a bad hamstring. Backup Mikey Keene finished the game against South Florida. The former Ole Miss QB is expected to start, but there are concerns that Plumlee will not be at 100%.
Central Florida needs his running ability, but he is not going to run away from the Tulane defense without a healthy hamstring. This is a big blow to the Knights. Look for the Green Wave to pull away and cover.
For our UCF vs. Tulane prediction, we’re looking at a 35-28 AAC Championship win for the Green Wave.
