Army Black Knights at Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Army looks like the class of the American Athletic Conference's rushing attacks heading into Tulsa, while the Golden Hurricane are still hunting for the winning season that's eluded them since 2021.

Bush’s Picks

ARMYTLSA

ARMYTLSA

OverUnder

Best BetArmy

Army enters as the more complete team here, and that should show up in the price — a proven, nation-leading rushing attack against a Tulsa squad still finding its footing under a new starting quarterback. When one side has a returning 1,223-yard rusher under center and the other is breaking in a sophomore, backing the more established program to win outright is the straightforward read.

Army

• +Nation's 5th-ranked rushing attack returns nearly intact
• +Hellums led all FBS QBs with 18 rush TDs
• −Untested new defensive coordinator in Darryl Dixon
• −Defense replacing several key contributors from last year

Tulsa

• +Elijah Green, AAC's interception leader, anchors the defense
• +Active, well-regarded transfer portal retool under Lamb
• −Four straight losing seasons dating back to 2021
• −Sophomore QB replacing since-departed top receiver Foley

This is a clash of two very different places. Army, under 13th-year coach Jeff Monken, knows exactly who it is: the rushing attack that finished 5th nationally a year ago returns almost fully intact behind quarterback Cale Hellums, who led every FBS passer with 1,223 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. Tulsa is still figuring things out under second-year coach Tre Lamb, turning to sophomore Baylor Hayes to run an offense that just lost its leading receiver to the transfer portal.

Tulsa's portal work wasn't all subtraction, though. The Golden Hurricane held onto Elijah Green, the AAC's interception leader and one of the better cover corners in the country, giving their defense a legitimate building block even as the offense retools around a new starting quarterback and without top target Brody Foley, who left for Louisville. Army's biggest question mark sits on the other side of the ball, where new defensive coordinator Darryl Dixon inherits a unit replacing several key contributors from last season.

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ARMY Army

TLSA Tulsa

None of that changes the basic shape of this game. Army wants to grind clock and pound the rock behind all-conference center Brady Small and a veteran front, while Tulsa needs its defense to hold up long enough for Hayes and a retooled receiving corps to find their footing in front of the home crowd.

Army Black Knights

Oct 17?vs Florida Atlantic—

Oct 10?vs Tulane—

Oct 2?@ Louisiana Tech—

Sep 25?@ Temple—

Sep 12?vs South Florida—

Sep 5?vs Bryant—

Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Oct 16?@ Rice—

Oct 10?@ Navy—

Oct 1?vs North Texas—

Sep 26?@ Arkansas—

Sep 19?vs East Texas A&M—

Sep 12?@ Sam Houston—

Sep 5?vs Oklahoma State—

Both programs' recent history tells a story here. Tulsa hasn't finished above .500 since 2021, and while Lamb's portal haul gives this year's group more juice than last year's 4-8 squad, a sophomore quarterback learning a new-look offense doesn't usually flip four years of losing overnight. Army, meanwhile, is chasing something bigger — an 8-4 projection and a real shot at the American title with arguably the deepest, most experienced roster Monken has had in years.

The matchup on paper favors whoever controls tempo, and that's been Army's calling card for over a decade. If the Black Knights impose their will up front and keep Hayes and Tulsa's offense off the field, this one looks like business as usual for a Golden Hurricane program still trying to climb out of its rebuild.

Army Black Knights

(0)

Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report

Tulsa Golden Hurricane

(0)

Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report