Memphis Tigers vs Tulane Green Wave Final — October 16, 2026
MEMOffense2026 regular season to dateTULN
MEMDefenseTULNMEMRecent formTULNMEMHome and roadseason to dateTULNMEMLast 10 gamesTULNRest & travelrest and travel
MEMRest & travelTULNAbout these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
Margin of each of the last 6 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
The pre-game matchup
Memphis (4-1) visited Tulane (2-3) on Friday, October 16 at 7:30 PM ET.
Memphis has the 10th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 33rd-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Tulane has the 94th-ranked offense and the 78th-ranked defense. When Memphis has the ball, a 10th-ranked offense (+0.281 EPA per play) meets a 78th-ranked defense (+0.083 allowed); when Tulane has it, a 94th-ranked offense (−0.011) meets a 33rd-ranked defense (−0.043 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Memphis offense is at 50.9% (26th) and the Tulane offense at 38.7% (133rd). Memphis scores 37.2 points per game (15th) and allows 20.8 (35th); Tulane scores 18.4 (111th) and allows 22.6 (49th).
Memphis is 5-1; its last game was a 38-13 win over UAB. Tulane is 2-3 and 2-3 against the spread; its last game was a 20-17 loss to Army.
Memphis closed as a 6.5-point road favorite, with Tulane getting the points at home. The spread closed where it opened. The total closed at 55.5, up from 54.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Memphis -265, Tulane +210) prices Memphis at 69% and Tulane at 31%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Result
Final score and result vs the closing line
Memphis Tigers 17, Tulane Green Wave 31
Tulane Green Wave won by 14.
- Against the closing spread (Tulane Green Wave +6.5): Tulane Green Wave covered.
- Combined score 48 vs the closing total of 55.5: Under.
- Tulane Green Wave closed at +210 on the moneyline (a 31% no-vig market-implied chance).
Before the game: market and G&W
From open to close the market moved 1 point toward Memphis Tigers.
Market numbers are the consensus moneyline with the bookmaker margin removed.
Win probability
Each team's chance of winning through the game, starting from the market's closing price (Memphis Tigers 69%, Tulane Green Wave 31%) and moving with every snap until the final.
Biggest swings
- Q2 14:08 — Memphis Tigers ball, 2nd & 11 at MEM 24No Huddle-Shotgun #2 M.Stokes pass complete short middle to #5 S.Burnside caught at MEM40, for 76 yards to the TLN00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 14:08, 1ST DOWN #80 P.Lafor…Memphis Tigers 70% → 83% (+13 pts) · Drive 8 in Drive X-Ray
- Q2 0:47 — Memphis Tigers ball, 3rd & 10 at MEM 25No Huddle-Shotgun #2 M.Stokes pass complete short right to #6 J.Carter caught at MEM20, for 2 yards to the MEM27 (#42 M.Williams)Tulane Green Wave 57% → 76% (+19 pts) · Drive 17 in Drive X-Ray
- Q2 0:39 — Memphis Tigers ball, 4th & 8 at MEM 27PENALTY MEM False Start 5 yards from MEM27 to MEM22. NO PLAYMemphis Tigers 20% → 45% (+25 pts) · Drive 17 in Drive X-Ray
- Q2 0:10 — Tulane Green Wave ball, 2nd & 5 at MEM 48Shotgun #11 T.Johnson pass intercepted by #5 A.Foster at MEM31 #5 A.Foster return 37 yards to the TLN32 (#6 J.Daniels), out of boundsMemphis Tigers 42% → 54% (+12 pts) · Drive 18 in Drive X-Ray
- Q2 0:05 — Memphis Tigers ball, 2nd & 10 at TULN 32No Huddle-Shotgun #2 M.Stokes pass intercepted by #3 T.Smith at TLN24 #3 T.Smith return 76 yards to the MEM00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:00 #35 C.Helmke kick attempt go…Tulane Green Wave 48% → 76% (+28 pts) · Drive 19 in Drive X-Ray
Tulane Green Wave won after falling as low as 10% (Q2 14:00).
Game DNA
| Memphis | Points added | Tulane |
|---|---|---|
| -2.9 | Passingdropbacks | -3.0 |
| -5.2 | Rushingdesigned runs | -15.1 |
| +13.4 | Explosive plays4 plays · 2 plays | +8.8 |
| -21.7 | Turnovers4 giveaways · 1 giveaways | -1.4 |
| -1.1 | Special teamskicks, punts and returns | +5.8 |
| +8.0 | Penaltiespre-snap and dead-ball | -1.6 |
| -15.0 | Red zoneTDs on trips: 1 of 6 · 0 of 1 | -2.1 |
| -24.5 | All plays | -8.6 |
The biggest single gap: turnovers, worth about 20.3 points to Tulane Green Wave. The final margin was 14.
Points added: what each team's plays added to its expected points, credited to the team with the ball. Each play counts once.
The official play, graded
The official play on this game, at the price it was sent, graded against the final score.
Every official play is logged and graded, wins and losses alike. Full track record.
Line review
Memphis Tigers closed as the market favourite at 69% and lost.
The line moved toward Memphis Tigers before kickoff, and they lost.
Market
Closing line and line movement
Memphis -6.5 (-110)
Memphis -6.5 (-115)
Tulane +200 32%
Tulane +210 31%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts144
- Completion %70.1%20th
- Passing yards1,53538th
- Yards per attempt10.75th
- TD–INT16–3
- Rushing yards64511th
- Season line89 carries, 645 yds, 8 TD
- Receiving yards36770th
- Season line19 catches, 367 yds, 5 TD
- Tackles37148th
- Attempts119
- Completion %53.8%226th
- Passing yards804200th
- Yards per attempt6.8176th
- TD–INT4–2
- Rushing yards277145th
- Season line26 carries, 277 yds, 2 TD
- Receiving yards223228th
- Season line17 catches, 223 yds, 1 TD
- Tackles4643rd
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 259 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 14, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | Memphis | Tulane |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateMemphis offense vs Tulane defense | 48.1%19th | 39.3%23rd |
| Early-down success rateTulane offense vs Memphis defense | 41.4%46th | 36.1%130th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateMemphis offense vs Tulane defense | 44.9%39th | 49.4%121st |
| 3rd-down conversion rateTulane offense vs Memphis defense | 33.9%30th | 39.4%78th |
| Explosive play rateMemphis offense vs Tulane defense | 9.7%9th | 7.4%89th |
| Explosive play rateTulane offense vs Memphis defense | 8.9%123rd | 7.6%45th |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 40.7%125th-highest | 49.7%83rd-highest |
On 3rd down Memphis converts 44.9% (39th) against a Tulane defense allowing 49.4% (121st).
On 3rd down Tulane converts 39.4% (78th) against a Memphis defense allowing 33.9% (30th).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | Memphis | Tulane |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Charles Huff | Will Hall |
| Tenureat this school | 1st season | 1st season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 5–1 | 2–3 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 44–26 | 16–33 |
| Offensive coordinator | Kevin Decker / David Weeks | Russ Callaway |
| Defensive coordinator | Lance Guidry | Nate Fuqua / Tayler Polk |
Staff list as of October 13, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 5 times since 2021: Memphis won 2 and Tulane 3.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2025 | Tulane 38, Memphis 32 Tulane won | ||
| Nov 28, 2024 | Memphis 34, Tulane 24 Memphis won | ||
| Oct 13, 2023 | Tulane 31, Memphis 21 Tulane won | ||
| Oct 22, 2022 | Memphis 28, Tulane 38 Tulane won | ||
| Nov 27, 2021 | Tulane 28, Memphis 33 Memphis won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Teams
Memphis Tigers
- Memphis Tigers team stats
- Army Black Knights at Memphis Tigers (Oct 31)
- East Carolina Pirates 34, Memphis Tigers 41 (Oct 22)
- UAB Blazers 13, Memphis Tigers 38 (Oct 10)
- Memphis Tigers 59, Charlotte 49ers 8 (Oct 3)
Tulane Green Wave
- Tulane Green Wave team stats
- Tulane Green Wave at Charlotte 49ers (Oct 30)
- UTSA Roadrunners 42, Tulane Green Wave 19 (Oct 24)
- Tulane Green Wave 17, Army Black Knights 20 (Oct 10)
Gridiron & Wine graded a pick on this game: see the archived pick.
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