Conference Championship Weekend: High-Stakes Showdowns

The American Athletic Conference Championship features a significant matchup between #24 North Texas and #20 Tulane, set to kick off on Friday at 8 PM ET from Yulman Stadium in New Orleans. North Texas enters the game as a 2.5-point favorite, boasting the nation's top-scoring offense, averaging 46.4 points per game.

Their standout player, freshman running back Caleb Hawkins, has accumulated over 1,200 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns this season. Meanwhile, Tulane, while strong defensively, faces the challenge of containing a North Texas offense that has scored 50 or more points in five of their last six games.

The Mean Green's quarterback, Drew Mestemaker, leads the nation in passing yards with 3,835 and has a remarkable 16-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in his last six games. According to Sports Betting Dime, the winner of this game not only secures the AAC title but also a spot in the College Football Playoff, making this contest a pivotal point in the Group of Five landscape.

The over/under for the game is set at 67.5, reflecting expectations for a high-scoring battle. The betting trends indicate strong support for North Texas, with 89.28% of spread money backing them to cover the modest spread, further underscoring the stakes involved in this championship clash.