David Pollack predicts winner in Tulane-Memphis matchup in Week 11

David Pollack shared his thoughts on the Tulane-Memphis Week 11 matchup.

College football analyst David Pollack picks the winner in Friday night's American Conference matchup between Tulane and Memphis. | Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader, Sioux Falls Argus Leader via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The American Conference race takes center stage Friday night when No. 25 Memphis hosts Tulane at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Both teams remain in the hunt for a conference title berth, but one will see its playoff hopes vanish after this critical Week 11 clash on ESPN.

Memphis enters at 8-1 after handling Rice 38-14 last Friday. The Tigers have relied on balance and toughness under head coach Scott Abell, ranking among the top 15 nationally in scoring at 37.7 points per game. Quarterback Brendon Lewis has thrown for 1,869 yards and 10 touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing with 557 yards and eight more scores.

Tulane, meanwhile, dropped to 6-2 following a 48-26 loss to UTSA. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff has provided dual-threat ability, accounting for over 2,100 total yards and 16 touchdowns. However, the Green Wave defense has struggled, giving up more than 400 yards per game and ranking 102nd nationally.

David Pollack Picks Memphis Over Tulane on See Ball Get Ball Podcast

During Thursday’s episode of the See Ball Get Ball podcast, college football analyst David Pollack sided with Memphis to win at home against Tulane. Pollack emphasized physicality and consistency as the deciding factors, saying, “So I’ll take Memphis because I know I’m going to get that physicality. I know I’m going to get tackles broken, easy offense. Give me the Tigers.”

Pollack also noted the ongoing distractions surrounding Tulane’s program. “I’ll take Memphis, too,” he said. “Retzlaff has been interesting to watch because you thought he’d get more comfortable in the system and the passing game would come along. Early in the season, it was really his legs doing the damage, but it hasn’t really meshed the way you thought it would. And Jon Sumrall's been talked about in every job opening for God’s sake, right? There’s a big distraction with that.”

The playing status of Memphis Tigers quarterback Brendon Lewis (2) in Friday's matchup remains unresolved. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Memphis’ offense averages 429.2 yards per game, built around a three-headed rushing attack that Pollack praised. “Memphis, the one thing you know about Memphis — what they’ll do — they’ve got three backs who are going to tote that thing. They’re going to run it hard. They’re going to run through tackles.”

Tulane’s defense ranks 121st in penalties and 102nd in passing yards allowed, while Memphis sits sixth nationally in turnover margin at plus-nine. Those numbers, along with home-field advantage, support Pollack’s prediction of a Tigers win.

Memphis kicks off against Tulane at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.