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Houston vs TCU College Football Odds: TCU Could Struggle to Cover As a Heavy Favorite 10/4

  • TCU is a double-digit favorite against visiting Houston.
  • The Horned Frogs have covered in just three of their last 12 games as a double-digit favorite.
  • Read on for our top 3 Houston vs TCU betting predictions.

 

TCU ended the 2023 season in a game featuring 114 points and it is more of the same so far this season with 69 and 65 points scored in the first two Big 12 games for the Horned Frogs. Will it be more of the same with a struggling Houston team coming to Ft. Worth on Friday night? TCU is listed by college football odds as a double-digit favorite versus Houston for the first time since 2002.

Houston vs TCU NCAAF Odds: TCU Could Struggle to Cover As a Heavy Favorite 10/4
Josh Hoover #10 of the TCU Horned Frogs | Sam Hodde/Getty Images/AFP

This is just the second time that Houston and TCU will meet as Big 12 rivals. The Horned Frogs rolled to a 36-13 win last year as a seven-point underdog with the game falling under the total. That was the first meeting between the teams since 2007.

Dating back to 2001, TCU is 6-0 against Houston and 4-1-1 against the spread with each of the last three meetings going under the total.

NCAA football betting lines have TCU favored by 16½ points as the Horned Frogs as a double-digit favorite in Big 12 play for just the fourth time in the last four seasons. TCU is priced at -700 to win the game outright with Houston at +500 to pick up its first Big 12 win of the season.

TCU is 10th at +2200 in the odds to win the Big 12 title. Houston has the longest Big 12 championship odds of +35000.

 

Houston vs TCU Game Information

  • Game: Houston (1-4, 0-2 Big 12) at TCU (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)
  • Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Amon G Carter Stadium, Ft. Worth, TX
  • Houston vs TCU Live Stream: Fubo

 

Houston vs TCU Odds and Spread

 

Houston vs TCU: Top 3 Betting Predictions

1. Josh Hoover Looks to Air It Out Again for TCU

With 128 points allowed in the last three games, defense is not a strong suit of this TCU team.

Among Big 12 teams, only Arizona State allowed touchdowns more frequently in red zone trips by the opponent than TCU with the Horned Frogs surrendering 11 TDs in 15 red zone drives by the opposing team. When looking at college football betting trends, TCU has allowed five touchdowns in seven red zone drives by UCF and Kansas. The Horned Frogs were in the middle of the pack in the Big 12 in red zone defensive numbers a season ago.

It hasn’t helped that four of the top seven tacklers for TCU are defensive backs led by sophomore safety Jamel Johnson’s 40 tackles.

TCU had three blocked kicks in its Big 12 opener so that is something to keep in mind against the Cougars. Quarterback Josh Hoover is third among Football Bowl Subdivision players in passing yards this season.


Hoover has as many pass plays of 30 yards or longer in five games as he had in 10 games as a freshman. Keep that in mind when looking at potential College Football player prop bets.

Bet on Josh Hoover Passing Yards Total

 

2. Cougars Have Been Declawed in 2024

Saying that Houston is struggling on offense could go down as one of the biggest understatements of the college football season.

Houston has been shut out by Cincinnati and Iowa State in its first two Big 12 games of the season. The Houston Cougars only reached the red zone once in those two losses. Houston has a minus turnover margin in its last eight Big 12 games.

 

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Florida State and UCLA are the only Power-4 conference teams allowing fewer yards per game than the Cougars this season.

Quarterback Donovan Smith is averaging a career-low 6.4 yards per passing attempt this season. He has just 144 passing yards in two Big 12 games. Smith and Zeon Chriss are still competing to be the No. 1 QB at Houston. That could factor into our NCAA football predictions for this game.

Bet on Houston vs TCU Under 50.5

 

3. TCU Has Struggled to Cover as Double-Digit Favorite

TCU has lost four of its last 12 games as a double-digit favorite at home with a 3-8-1 mark against the sports betting odds in those games. The Horned Frogs have covered in just one of their last six conference games when favored by at least 10 points at home.

The Texas Christian Horned Frogs have covered in its last two road games as a double-digit underdog. Earlier this season, Houston threw a scare into Oklahoma before falling 16-12 as a 27.5-point underdog.

Houston’s Joseph Manjack, who was tied for the team lead with six touchdown catches last season, is questionable for the game.

 

Bet on Houston spread +16.5 (-110)

 

Houston vs TCU Prediction

TCU 30, Houston 17

 

Questions of the Day

Which team had a better record against the spread since the start of the 2023 season, Houston or TCU?


Houston is 8-9 against the spread since the start of last season. TCU is last in the Big 12 with a 6-11 ATS mark during that time.

When was the last time a game between Houston and TCU went over the total?


The 2003 matchup won by TCU 62-55 went well over the 47-point total.

 

 

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.

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