Almost one year from playing in the National Championship Game, the TCU Horned Frogs travel to Lubbock to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Both teams battling to keep their chances of bowl eligibility alive on Thursday night.
Who emerges victorious? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Texas Tech vs. TCU prediction.
Texas Tech vs. TCU Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Texas Tech vs. TCU odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Texas Tech -3 - Moneyline
Texas Tech -155, TCU +130 - Over/Under
59.5 points - Game time
7 p.m. ET - Location
Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX - Predicted Weather at Kick
46 degrees, 10-12 mph winds, clear - How to Watch
FS1, FuboTV
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Ready to take a risk on the Red Raiders? Do you have a good feeling about the Horned Frogs? If you’re going to take advantage of the Texas Tech vs. TCU odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Texas Tech comes into the game as the favorite, carrying a 32-30-3 overall advantage over TCU, despite losing the last four matchups between the two Big-12 teams. Fun fact: the Red Raiders haven’t beaten the Horned Frogs in Lubbock since 2013. However, with the return of quarterback Behren Morton to the starting lineup, Joey McGuire’s team can get the job done.
MORE: Big 12 Standings
With just a three-point spread, it’s easy to presume the Red Raiders will cover. However, as our Texas Tech vs. TCU prediction explains, there’s the potential for this to be a tight game on Thursday night. Hedge your bets by taking the Horned Frogs to cover, with Texas Tech failing to cover in over 50% of the games where they’ve been favored this season.
Given both teams have been relatively low-scoring of late, the line of 59.5 points may seem a little high — especially with the two teams going over the line in five of their 16 games this season. However, with the potential for a close-fought slugfest, our final score prediction suggests that they could cover the line.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Texas Tech Depth Chart | TCU Depth Chart
- QB Behren Morton, Texas Tech ($10,400)
- QB Jake Strong, Texas Tech ($10,400)
- QB Josh Hoover, TCU ($10,000)
- RB Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech ($9,600)
- RB Emani Bailey, TCU ($8,600)
- RB Trey Sanders, TCU ($5,100)
- RB Cam’Ron Valdez, Texas Tech ($5,000)
- RB Major Everhart, TCU ($4,400)
- WR Jerand Bradley, Texas Tech ($7,300)
- WR John Paul Richardson, TCU ($7,200)
- WR Myles Price, Texas Tech ($7,000)
- WR Savion Williams, TCU ($6,700)
- WR Xavier White, Texas Tech ($6,400)
- WR Dylan Wright, TCU ($6,200)
- WR Warren Thompson, TCU ($5,900)
- WR Coy Eakin, Texas Tech ($5,700)
- WR Drae McCray, Texas Tech ($5,500)
- TE Jared Wiley, TCU ($6,500)
- TE Baylor Cupp, Texas Tech ($5,200)
There are three college football games on Thursday to compile your DFS team from in Week 10. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “superflex” that can be any of the above. Or you can also select a tight end for the Superflex spot.
There was lots of excitement and expectation about Texas Tech’s offense this season, especially for fantasy purposes. However, quarterback injury has thrown their season out.
Morton returns under center for this Thursday night showdown, and with uncertainty over the health of Duke’s Riley Leonard and a tough matchup for South Alabama’s Carter Bradley, he might be a good bet as the quarterback of your DFS lineup. TCU’s Josh Hoover has 24 fewer fantasy points from similar pass attempts.
The all-Sun Belt clash between South Alabama will likely dominate your running back lineup. However, if your value dictates that you can’t get La’Damian Webb and Kimani Vidal on your budget but do allow Tahj Brooks, that’s a move you’ve got to make. The Red Raiders’ rusher is the fantasy RB6 in the Big 12 and should see a heavy workload again this week.
Aside from Caullin Lacy, no wide receiver on the three-game Thursday slate has established themselves as a legitimate fantasy threat. Myles Price, Jerand Bradley, and John Paul Richardson are similarly productive for fantasy purposes — although if you wanted to hang your hat on one of the trio it would be Bradley who possesses the explosive big play threat.
Finally, the tight end position is usually null and void if you can afford to put a quarterback in your “superflex” position. However, TCU standout Jared Wiley leads the team in receiving touchdowns and is a legitimate red zone weapon. He also has the second-most receptions for the Horned Frogs this season.
Prediction for Texas Tech vs. TCU
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Texas Tech vs. TCU odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction. Can TCU extend their winning streak over Texas Tech to five games and put themselves in touching distance of bowl eligibility? Or will the Red Raiders return to .500 in the Big 12 in an attempt to salvage what has been a disappointing year?
It’s been a dramatic turndown of fortunes for TCU since reaching the National Championship Game last year. The follow-up has been fraught with difficulty, from the first-game loss to Colorado on the national stage to the loss of quarterback Chandler Morris to injury for the second consecutive season.
While Josh Hoover showcased some impressive skills against BYU, he’s been turnover-prone — throwing an interception every time he’s set foot on the field this fall. While Savion Williams and Richardson at receiver are talented pass catchers in their own right, the loss of Quentin Johnston has been a difficult blow for the offense to absorb.
MORE: Big 12 QB Rankings
Texas Tech has suffered similar offensive issues relative to expectation, with their high-power aerial assault handicapped by injury and inconsistency at the quarterback position. As a result, they’ve had to ride running back Brooks hard. Like his opposite number in this Thursday clash — Emani Bailey — he’s risen to the challenge.
With the two running backs expected to be at the forefront of this game, the winner will likely be the one that can stop the ground game — particularly in the red zone. While TCU allows fewer yards per carry and has allowed fewer points on average per game, Texas Tech has averaged fewer rushing yards allowed per game and, importantly, given up fewer rushing touchdowns.
Although the ground game — and the ability to stop it — may be the most substantial factor in the outcome, these two teams are incredibly well-matched and it could take an electric offensive spark to be the difference maker. The return of quarterback Morton might just be the spark Texas Tech needs to get the win.
Prediction: Texas Tech 31, TCU 30