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The North Texas Mean Green take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Thursday, Oct. 1. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Tulsa is favored by -1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -115. North Texas, meanwhile, enters as a +1.5 underdog and is +104 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 57.5 total points.
Here’s my North Texas vs. Tulsa prediction and college football pick for Thursday, October 1.
North Texas vs Tulsa Prediction
- North Texas vs. Tulsa Pick: Tulsa ML -115
My Tulsa vs. North Texas best bet is on the Golden Hurricane to win outright. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
North Texas vs Tulsa Odds
| North Texas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -112 | 57.5 -114o / -106u | -104 |
| Tulsa Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -108 | 57.5 -114o / -106u | -115 |
- North Texas vs Tulsa Spread: North Texas +1.5 (-112), Tulsa -1.5 (-108)
- North Texas vs Tulsa Over/Under: 57.5 (-114o / -106u)
- North Texas vs Tulsa Moneyline: North Texas -104, Tulsa -115
North Texas vs Tulsa College Football Preview
North Texas Mean Green Betting Preview: Riding Hot Offense
North Texas has been an impressive team in the first month of the season, as the Mean Green have clearly exceeded preseason expectations.
The defense hung in there for three quarters against Indiana in the opener, and the offense has taken strides over the last three weeks, with quarterback Tayven Jackson making great progress as a passer.
Jackson is completing 74% of his passes while throwing for 1,187 yards and six touchdowns, and the offensive line has been excellent in preventing negative plays and drive-stopping sacks.
Jahiem White has been explosive as a running back, averaging seven yards per carry with seven rushing scores. White is also one of four offensive players who have caught at least 10 passes this season, helping the Mean Green average 39.5 points per game.
Justin Stevenson, Corri Milliner and Josiah Martin have been reliable receivers, although Martin is dealing with an injury, which leaves his status for this game in question. Tight end Max Reese has taken on a bigger role over the last couple of weeks.
The UNT defense has been strong at home while completely shutting down UNLV and Houston Christian, but the stop unit's performance hasn't traveled well on the road.
The Mean Green defense has allowed 101 points and 8.3 yards per play in two road games this season. The front has struggled to stop the run, and the pass rush has been largely ineffective away from home.
This is a massive game in the American Conference this week, so UNT will need a solid defensive performance to defeat Tulsa on the road on Thursday night.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane Betting Preview: Hayes' Return is Big Boost
Tulsa has completely turned its program around in head coach Tre Lamb’s tenure. The Golden Hurricane have significantly upgraded their offensive line and vastly improved their defense compared to previous seasons.
The season-opening win over Oklahoma State certainly turned heads and was followed by victories over Sam Houston and East Texas A&M.
Sitting at 3-0, the perception of this team was changing as Tulsa began to garner traction as a serious contender in the American. A road loss at Arkansas last week without starting quarterback Baylor Hayes doesn't change that perception for me.
The offense used a strong ground attack with an assertive offensive line to control the line of scrimmage during the opening three-game stretch, with Damari Alston and Trequan Jones splitting carries in the backfield.
Those backs have combined to rush for 409 yards, so the ground attack is a real threat this week against a North Texas team has struggled to defend the run.
The key for Tulsa will be the return of quarterback Baylor Hayes, who has missed the last two games with an injury suffered against Sam Houston. Hayes will be back for this game, and his command of the offense should boost this group's performance.
The defense has been outstanding all season, and the defensive line has left its mark nearly every week.
Thomas Davis, Kyran Duhon and Dax Collins have multiple sacks, and the pressure they create has made it difficult for opposing offenses to find success.
The Golden Hurricane have benefited from turnovers and drive-stopping negative plays created by the Havoc. This defensive line will have to take over on Thursday night against a strong North Texas offense.
North Texas vs Tulsa Pick, Betting Analysis
This line opened with Tulsa favored by 2.5 points with a total of 57.5. Money has come in on North Texas with this line creeping toward pick'em status, but I like Tulsa on the moneyline to win this game.
The North Texas passing attack has surprised everyone this season with Jackson's proficiency at quarterback, but I'm not convinced the explosive plays will come in this game.
Tulsa has an excellent defensive line that will create problems for the UNT signal-caller, and the coverage unit grades out as one of the strongest in the American, per PFF advanced stats.
The Golden Hurricane defense ranks 11th nationally in explosive plays allowed, and with a secondary that doesn’t give up big plays, UNT will have to move the ball methodically.
Tulsa frustrated Oklahoma State’s offensive attack, and the defense really stepped up in the red zone, something we've seen this unit do all season.
The Golden Hurricane have allowed touchdowns on just 29% of opponents' red-zone trips and have turned opponents away empty-handed five times. I expect North Texas to settle for field goals in the red zone in this game.
On the other side, the North Texas coverage unit has been prone to giving up big plays in the secondary, and the Tulsa passing game will be more efficient with Hayes back at quarterback.
A couple of deep shots will really open up the rushing lanes, so Tulsa should have success moving the ball on the ground in this game.
The offense should find a way to sustain drives and convert on third down using the rushing attack while keeping the North Texas offense on the sidelines.
This was a spot I had circled in the preseason as a play-on spot for Tulsa. I like the direction this team is headed and truly believe the Golden Hurricane are a premier team in the American this season.
The defensive line will register drive-stopping Havoc plays against North Texas while continuing its excellent defense in the red zone.
The Mean Green will have to settle for field-goal attempts when they get in close.
The Tulsa offensive line has been successful here in keeping drives alive with the ground attack, so the Golden Hurricane should salt this game away late in the fourth quarter.
Pick: Tulsa ML -115
North Texas vs Tulsa Betting Trends
