Tulsa vs Arkansas State Betting Pick & Preview – 9/7/2024

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane will take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves on September 7, 2024, with the Golden Hurricane coming in as 7.5 point underdogs according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Currently, the betting action shows no clear favorite as both teams have relatively equal support. The total sits at 65.5, with 38% of bets on the under and 62% on the over. With the game set for 7:00 pm ET, fans can expect an exciting matchup between these two Group of 5 football teams.

Can Tulsa Deliver Against First FBS Foe Of 2024?

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane won their season opener in Week 1, beating up on the FCS Northwestern State Demons by a score of 62-28. Tulsa quarterback Kirk Francis lit up his inferior competition in that game, throwing for 299 yards and four touchdowns. Here, Francis and the Golden Hurricane will look to impress in their first bit of real competition for the season against Arkansas State.

Tulsa's running game will be a key in this contest, just as it was in their win over Northwestern State. The Golden Hurricane rushed for 323 yards against the Demons last week, averaging a massive 7.9 yards per carry in that game. While they likely won't put up an average like that again this season, an efficient performance on the ground could clear the path for Tulsa to move to 2-0 on the season here.

Arkansas State Seeks Second Straight Home Win

Arkansas State survived a legitimate scare in their Week 1 game against FCS Central Arkansas. The Red Wolves trailed deep into that game and needed a last-second touchdown catch, which was granted after video review, to seal that game. Here, Arkansas State needs to be better on both sides of the ball if they want to improve to 2-0 and beat their first FBS opponent of the young college football season.

Corey Rucker will be a weapon to watch for Arkansas State in this game after his performance against Central Arkansas. Rucker caught nine passes for 179 yards and that late touchdown to help the Red Wolves survive without falling victim to an FCS upset. While he should face more resistance from the Tulsa defense, another big game from Rucker could help the Red Wolves win a second game in as many weeks.

Tulsa vs Arkansas State Best Bet

We will take the points with Tulsa in this contest as a 7.5-point underdog. Arkansas State gave up over 400 yards of offense to Central Arkansas last week. Expect Tulsa to be able to move the ball in this contest, which feels like it could come down to the final possession in either direction in Jonesboro on Saturday night.

Visit the NCAAFB picks and predictions section for the rest of today's games.