Duke vs Tulane Picks and Predictions for Saturday, September 13, 2025
Duke vs Tulane Game Info
Duke makes the trip to New Orleans for a Saturday evening clash with Tulane at Yulman Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:00 PM ET on ESPN2. The Blue Devils enter at 1-1 after a tough loss to Illinois, while the Green Wave stand at 2-0 following a road win over South Alabama. According to ESPN’s predictor, Tulane is favored with a 72.3% chance of winning this matchup. Our college football predictions keep you ahead.
Duke Preview
Duke opened its season with a convincing win over Elon but could not keep pace with Illinois last week, falling 45-19. Quarterback Darian Mensah has been the bright spot, completing 50 of 68 passes for 723 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception through two games. Wideout Cooper Barkate has been the top target, tallying 205 yards on nine catches. While the passing game has shown explosiveness, the run game has been limited, with Anderson Castle’s 80 yards leading the team.
The Blue Devils will need to play cleaner on the road, as turnovers and negative plays hurt them against Illinois. Linebacker Jaiden Francois leads the unit with 13 tackles, and edge rusher Vincent Anthony Jr. has tallied 3.5 sacks, showing some ability to create pressure. Still, Duke’s challenge will be keeping Tulane’s balanced offense in check, especially after allowing 45 points in its last outing. 
Tulane Preview
Tulane has started the year strong, routing Northwestern 23-3 in the opener before edging South Alabama 33-31. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff has thrown for 277 yards and two scores while also rushing for 177 yards and two more touchdowns, making him a true dual-threat. He has spread the ball around effectively, with Omari Hayes posting 74 receiving yards. Retzlaff’s legs have been especially valuable in extending drives and finishing red-zone opportunities.
The Green Wave defense showed two different faces in the first two games: dominant against Northwestern and more vulnerable against South Alabama. Santana Hopper has recorded a sack, and safety Jack Tchienchou leads the team with 16 tackles. With home-field advantage and momentum, Tulane will look to pressure Mensah and test Duke’s protection schemes.
Duke vs Tulane Prediction
Tulane’s ability to run the ball with Retzlaff while keeping the defense off balance should tilt the contest their way. Duke will move the ball through the air but may not sustain drives consistently enough against a physical Green Wave defense.
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Pick: Tulane 31, Duke 24
Best Picks:
- Tulane -6.5
- Over 55.5 Total Points
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