The No. 17 Houston Cougars will look to stay undefeated in the American Athletic Conference when they host the Memphis Tigers on Friday at TDECU Stadium in Houston. The Cougars (9-1, 7-0 in AAC) clinched a spot in the AAC Championship Game with their 37-8 dismantling of Temple last week. They’ll be making their first appearance in the title game since 2015. Meanwhile the Tigers (5-5, 2-4) are looking to bounce back from a 30-29 loss to East Carolina in overtime. They have lost five of their last seven games and need one more win to become bowl eligible.
Kickoff is 9 p.m. ET. The Cougars are 8.5-point favorites in the latest Houston vs. Memphis odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 60.5. Before making any Memphis vs. Houston picks, be sure to see the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 12 of the 2021 season on a 36-23 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now the model has dialed in on Houston vs. Memphis and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see all of the model’s college football picks. Now, here are the college football odds and trends for Memphis vs. Houston:
- Houston vs. Memphis spread: Cougars -8.5
- Houston vs. Memphis over-under: 60.5 points
- Houston vs. Memphis moneyline: Cougars -350, Tigers +280
- HOU: The Cougars rank second in the country in turnover margin (+1.20 turnovers per game)
- MEM: LB JJ Russell ranks fourth in the country in solo tackles per game (6.4)
Featured Game | Houston Cougars vs. Memphis Tigers
Why the Cougars can cover
Houston has been winning the turnover battle all season. The Cougars lead the conference and rank second in the country in turnover margin (+1.20 turnovers per game). The defense has forced a turnover in all 10 games this season, including three last week at Temple.
In addition, running back Alton McCaskill has a nose for the end zone. The freshman from Conroe, Texas, set a new single-season program record for rushing touchdowns by a freshman with his 14th last week at Temple. McCaskill ranks eighth in the country in rushing touchdowns and is tied for first among true freshmen.
Why the Tigers can cover
Memphis is getting solid quarterback play from true freshman Seth Henigan. A 6-foot-3, 200-pounder from Denton, Texas, Henigan ranks ninth in the country in passing yards per completion (14.86), 11th in total offense (321.0 yards per game), 12th in passing yards per game (308.7) and 18th in passing touchdowns (21). He is the highest-ranked true freshman in each of those categories.
In addition, the Tigers have a playmaking linebacker in JJ Russell. A 6-foot-1 senior from Grenada, Miss., Russell ranks fourth in the country in solo tackles per game (6.4) and sixth in total tackles per game (10.4). On the season, he leads the team with 104 total tackles, including 64 solo.
How to make Houston vs. Memphis picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 64 points. It also has an against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s Memphis vs. Houston pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Houston vs. Memphis? And which side is covering well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Memphis vs. Houston spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is on a 36-23 run on top-rated picks, and find out.
