American Athletic Championship Game Preview and Betting Odds for Tulane vs. Army

They didn’t meet in the regular season, and this is a tad muted because of the circumstances, but it should still be among the most interesting of the championship games.

Army still gets Navy in a few weeks – the bowl season starts to kick in then – but in its first year in the AAC it gets a shot to cap off a season with a title, and then Navy, and then a bowl with a 13-win campaign possible.

We’d be having a very different discussion right now about the CFP possibilities had Tulane not lost last week to Memphis – it’s just as well; the Green Wave still wouldn’t have made it in no matter what – but win, and the program gets back a title after losing last year to SMU.

Tulane vs Army, American Athletic Championship: How to Watch and Game Preview

Date: Friday, December 6, 2024
Game Time: 8:00 pm
How To Watch: FOX
Venue: Michie Stadium, West Point, NY
Teams: Tulane (9-3), Army (10-1)

Why Army Will Win

What did Memphis do right that helped them beat Tulane? The ball was run. What does the Army do better than anyone else in the US? The ball is run.

Their style is great for getting backs into space, and they ran for 236 yards. KSU beat the Green Wave 34–27 and was the only other team to hit them for more than 200 yards.

Army has not been held to less than 200 yards yet this season, not even against Notre Dame. This has to work.

Army also has the fewest turnovers, the most yards per completion, and, most importantly for its style, the most time of possession. This is because it throws and runs the ball. But…

Why Tulane Will Win

In terms of time of possession, Tulane is fourth in the country.

Army is in trouble as long as it keeps the TOP battle close, but does not have to win it.

There is another side to the rushing yard thing here. Army is the best at attacking on the ground, but Tulane uses the same strategy. Own third downs, keep the chains moving, and do not turn the ball over. Run a lot, but in a different way.

The Green Wave are better than Army at scoring on third downs, they have the fourth-best time of possession in the country, and they do not turn the ball over a lot. Then there is the attack on the ground.

It is 9-0 for Tulane when it runs for 150 yards or more and 0-3 when it doesn’t. So…

Tulane vs Army, American Athletic Championship: Who Will Win?

Army has a great run defence because the defence is always off, giving the other team few chances to score. Navy is one of only three teams this season that has run for 30 or more times against Army, so Memphis needs to be quick.

It will be cold, but Tulane will be fine for the road game. It will not be better than Army’s on the ground, but it will not be far behind either.