Tulane is being backed to cover against Charlotte on Friday, with one projection saying the Green Wave can be played up to -13.5 in the Week 9 college football slate. That number matters because Charlotte just won an FBS game for the first time since Nov. 30, 2024, but the market still does not seem convinced the 49ers have turned a corner.
The pick lands on a Friday slate that has only three games, which is why Tulane vs. Charlotte is drawing search interest now. Tulane has been steadier against the number than its overall record might suggest, going 3-2 ATS since Week 3 and covering twice on the road, including an upset of Memphis as a 6.5-point underdog.
That is the kind of profile that keeps Tulane in the favorite conversation even when the season has not been spotless. The Green Wave have also dealt with a difficult early stretch under Will Hall, but the betting case here is built on a team that has still found ways to cash tickets away from home and has shown it can beat better-respected opposition.
Charlotte’s recent win changes the mood, not the math. The 49ers still rank 135th nationally in success rate allowed at 50.7%, and they sit last in college football in third- and fourth-down success rate at 29.5%. Tim Albin, who is 2-17 with the 49ers, gets another chance to string wins together for the first time since 2024, but the underlying numbers make that a much taller ask than the last result might suggest.
That is why Tulane is not being treated as merely a narrow favorite. The article’s own read is that the Green Wave are not closer to a two-touchdown favorite because of Charlotte’s last win, yet still could be played up to -13.5. Tulane bringing back Wumbo only strengthens the idea that this is a game the Green Wave are expected to control rather than chase.
The next test is simple: Charlotte has already broken one drought, and now it has to prove that win was more than a one-night lift. If Tulane does what the matchup suggests, the 49ers are left still looking for a real step forward, while the Green Wave keep their place as the side the market trusts more on Friday.
