TCU vs Stanford Odds: Bet on Cardinals to Keep It Close 8/30
- TCU can finally leave the noise of having just reached the 2022 National Championship in its rearview mirror.
- Stanford has finished the last three seasons with a 3-9 record.
- Both teams’ conferences have changed, affecting their NCAA football betting lines.
Neither TCU nor Stanford had the best season in 2023, which has put a blemish on their college football predictions for 2024. However, both teams are either in new conferences or ones that look completely different from last season, which could lead to some potential hope.

The most significant change for Stanford will be moving from the now-collapsed Pac-12 to the ACC. While the Cardinals should have a more manageable schedule because of the conference change, they still had a 3-9 record last season.
While TCU remained in the Big 12, its conference underwent a complete change, with Texas and Oklahoma moving to the SEC. The two powerhouse teams left the conference, opening the door for TCU to move up the standings. Sonny Dykes is still the Horned Frogs’ head coach after leading them to the National Championship in 2022.
TCU vs Stanford Game Information
- Game: TCU (0-0) vs. Stanford (0-0)
- Location: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA
- Day/Time: Friday, Aug. 30, 10:30 p.m. ET
- TCU vs Stanford Live Stream: FuboTV
TCU vs Stanford Odds and Spread
TCU vs Stanford Betting Preview
TCU Trying to Rebuild
TCU has had a weird last three years. In 2021, the Horned Frogs went 5-7 but followed that up by going 13-2 in 2022, losing in the National Championship game. The 2022 season was a magical run for the team, but in 2023, they seemed to fall back to reality, as the Horned Frogs once again finished with a 5-7 record.
However, with Texas and Oklahoma no longer in the Big 12, that potentially changes things for TCU. The Horned Frogs are nowhere close to being the favorites to win the Big 12 Championship in 2024, but they definitely can not be forgotten about. One reason for that is their offense, specifically their passing game, which could be excellent this season.
Eric McAlister has been selected to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, presented to the nation’s most outstanding receiver!#GoFrogs | #BleedPurple pic.twitter.com/T9tYDDv9vY
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) August 7, 2024
Going into this matchup, college football spreads favor TCU by nine points, possibly because of its passing game. Quarterback Josh Hoover started the second half of the season, finishing with 2,206 yards and 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Furthermore, his two leading receivers, Savion Williams (573 yards and four touchdowns) and JP Richardson (536 and three), are returning players. Eric McAlister is a transfer from Boise State and had 873 yards and five touchdowns last season.
However, that is not enough for TCU to complete a full turnaround. Hoover was inconsistent last season, attempting 46 passes per game in the final six weeks, which could have been a direct reason for some of his games with high yardage. On top of that, leading rusher Emani Bailey, who had 1,209 yards, has moved on to the NFL. The defense is still a work in progress after TCU tried to rebuild it in the transfer market this offseason.
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Stanford Could Be a Possible Surprise Success
Even though Stanford is going into the 2024 season in a new conference, there do not seem to be any expectations. The Cardinals’ win total in college football lines is set at 3½. The odds favor them to hit the over, set at -170, but the line does make sense. Stanford has had a 3-9 record for three straight seasons.
ELIC AYOMANOR OVER TRAVIS HUNTER IN OT 😱#SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/5odnyQrttn
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 14, 2023
Still, this team does have some interesting pieces. One is wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, who is undoubtedly a game-changer. Last season, Ayomanor finished with 1,013 yards and six touchdowns. However, a lot of that happened in a matchup against Colorado, when he caught 13 passes for 294 yards and three scores. Ayomanor is the biggest offensive threat, and TCU will try to slow him down, while Stanford’s returning quarterback, Ashton Daniels, will keep trying to feed him the ball.
Despite that, this Cardinals team still has many issues. It is unclear if there will be any improvements in the running game compared to last season. In 2023, Stanford did not have a rusher over 350 yards, which surely did not help Daniels and Ayomanor in the passing game.
To make matters worse, Stanford had one of the worst defenses in the nation last season. They allowed the second most yards (461.7) and points (37.7) per game in college football, which is not a good look. There hasn’t been much to improve the defense this offseason, which will be tested in this opening game against TCU.
TCU vs Stanford Predictions: Stanford +9
For this college football pick, we will thread the needle by picking Stanford to cover the nine-point spread. This being Week 1, with both teams having a lot of questions, the playing field seems evened out. Plus, Stanford has the advantage of being at home with an elite wide receiver playmaker in Ayomanor. TCU should still win this game, but completely rebuilding and blowing past Stanford won’t happen this week.
Bet on Stanford +9 vs TCU at BetUS!
Question of the Day
Are either of these teams in the running to win their conference?
Stanford is far from winning the ACC in its first season in the conference, coming off a 3-9 season. TCU is closer to winning the Big 12, but not by much. It only has a chance because it is in a chaotic conference.
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.