Tulane Green Wave vs. Florida Gators 12/20/24 – A very exciting Gasparilla Bowl contest is on the cards between Tulane Green Wave and the Florida Gators. Tulane had a brilliant season but comes into the contest as the underdog against a Florida team that defeated its last three opponents. Will Tulane’s aggressive offense be more than enough to overcome Florida who will be fielding the most experienced team from the Southeastern Conference league or will the Gators win this playoff match?
Tulane Green Wave vs. Florida Gators 12/20/24
| When: | Friday, December 20, 2024, at 3:30 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL |
| TV: | ESPN2 |
| Stream: | Sofascore |
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Wave | +11 (-105) | 49.5 Over (-110) | +360 |  |
| Gators | -11 (-115) | 49.5 Under (-110) | -500 | |
| ||||
It’s @GasparillaBowl game day greenies!
🆚: Florida
⏰: 2:30 PM
📍: Raymond James Stadium
📺: ESPN2
📻: 106.1 FM #UptownFootball pic.twitter.com/MiO7lqmOzF— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB) December 20, 2024
Tulane has the hard task of covering an 11-point spread for a game against Florida, a team which was able to win six of their last seven games as the favorite and has excelled to have a great performance against their opposition. Florida has control of this game as proven by their moneyline of -500, where on the other hand, Tulane has a great risk-to-reward ratio with a line of +360. Given the total set at 49.5, it can be expected that as both teams have the ability to make massive plays, it would result in a balanced game. Yet, Florida’s roster depth should see them cover the spread.
Darian Mensah QB vs. DJ Lagway QB
Darian Mensah of Tulane has posted an impressive season with 2723 passing yards and 22 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 65.9%. He displays great skill in throwing deep balls as he averages 9.5 yards per throw and shows sound leadership as he throws a mere six interceptions. Nonetheless, he is not entirely without fault, as he was sacked 17 times; this would likely be an easy target for Florida to exploit.
DJ Lagway of Florida has been able to make a name for himself in football, throwing for 1610 yards with a stunning ten yards thrown every time he passes the ball; however, he has not played a lot of games, unfortunately. He has shown great athleticism and accuracy when throwing, with his pass being 75 yards. However, issues like seven-throw interceptions and a 59.2 percent completion rate show he has a long way to go. Lagway needs to be ready to fight Tulane’s aggressive defense and maintain not only himself but also the game.
Tulane Green Wave: High-Octane Offense Seeking Redemption
After losing 24-34 to Memphis, Tulane struck right back with a massive 35-0 victory against Navy. The team’s backbone, however, is running back Makhi Hughes who bulldozed through defenses for a whopping 1,372 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Mario Williams also continues to impress with his scorching pace as he is currently averaging about 17.4 yards per reception. The defense on the other hand has done reasonably well too, allowing only 10 or fewer points in 3 of the last 5 games. Nevertheless, their performance against SEC teams and some inconsistency in recent matches does raise some red flags.
Florida Gators: SEC Toughness on Display
Florida keeps building up their excitement, having won their last three games including a dominant victory of 31-11 against Florida State. Jadan Baugh continues to show constancy at the position of a running back, and wideout Elijhah Badger has a lot of big play potential with 21.3 yards on average gaining per reception. Further, the overall performance of the Gators’ defense has been inconsistent as the team surrendered a considerable amount of points against Texas and Georgia at the start of this season; however, of late, the Gators have been tightening up in defense. The strength of their bench may prove crucial.
Trends
Tulane Green Wave Betting Trends
Tulane is 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
Tulane is 8-1 SU in their last nine games.
Tulane is 3-17 SU in their last 20 games as underdogs.
Florida Gators Betting Trends
Florida is 8-1 ATS in their last nine games.
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Florida’s last 20 games.
Florida is 6-1 SU in their last seven games as favorites.
Tulane Green Wave vs. Florida Gators Betting Prediction
It is important to note that while Tulane’s offense might be able to score, the Green Wave’s performance against power conference teams has been worrisome. Florida’s recent form, coupled with their SEC experience, makes them good picks as they have the better offensive approach and know how to close out games.
The -11 spread on Florida appears to be appealing for bookmakers willing to stake on it, but both teams are defensively sound, so the total of 49.5 could be a worthwhile bet considering the strengths of their defenses. Alternatively, prop bets on Tulane’s Makhi Hughes reaching the end zone would be a worthwhile wager.
Score Prediction: Florida Gators 31, Tulane Green Wave 17.
