Houston Cougars vs TCU Horned Frogs Betting Pick & Prediction 10/4/24
ESPN is handling the TV coverage for this week six college football matchup between the Houston Cougars and TCU Horned Frogs. The game is set for 7:30 ET from Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. TCU comes in with a 3-2 record, while Houston is just 1-4 on the season. The over/under line is currently 49.5 points, and TCU is favored by -17 points.
HOUSTON COUGARS VS TCU HORNED FROGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Houston Cougars +17
This game will be played at Amon G. Carter Stadium at 7:30 ET on Friday, October 4th.
WHY BET THE HOUSTON COUGARS:
- We have the TCU Horned Frogs winning this one by a score of 33 to 17
- Even though we like the TCU Horned Frogs to win, our ATS pick is to take the Houston Cougars at +17
- Look for this game to go over the line of 49.5 points
Will The Houston Cougars Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Houston enters Week 6 against TCU with a 1-4 record, ranked 93rd in our power rankings. They have just a 0.5% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. The Cougars are 1-2 on the road and 0-2 at home this season.
Houston’s ATS record is 2-3, with an average scoring margin of -10.4 points per game. They’ve been favored in two games, going 1-1 against the spread as favorites.
Their over/under record is 0-5, with their games averaging 31.2 points. This week’s line is 49.5 points, higher than their average over/under line of 48.1 points.
Heading into week 6, Houston’s offense has struggled, averaging just 10.4 points per game, placing them 121st in our offensive power rankings. Their third-down conversion rate is only 25.8%, and they rank 103rd in passing yards, averaging 155 per game. Quarterback Donovan Smith has thrown five interceptions with just two touchdowns, posting a passer rating of 69, which matches Houston’s team rating.
Smith has 681 passing yards and a completion rate of 65.4%. Houston ranks 31st in rushing attempts, averaging 129 yards per game. Stacy Sneed leads the ground game with 217 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry. Stephon Johnson has 174 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Houston’s defense is currently ranked 41st in the nation, giving up an average of 20.8 points per game. In their recent matchup against Iowa State, they allowed 20 points, surrendering one passing touchdown and one rushing score while giving up 393 total yards, including 240 rushing yards.
Opposing teams have averaged 149.2 rushing yards per game and 147.4 passing yards against Houston, which ranks 15th nationally. Quarterbacks have completed 61.7% of their passes and have a passer rating of 90.8 against the Cougars.
Are The TCU Horned Frogs Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
TCU enters Week 6 against Houston with a 3-2 record. They’ve gone 2-1 on the road but are winless at home (0-1). The Horned Frogs have been favored in three of their five games, going 1-2 in those matchups. They rank 37th in our CFB power rankings and have an 88.2% chance of reaching bowl eligibility.
TCU’s ATS record stands at 1-3, and they’ve gone 0-3 against the spread as the favorite. Their average scoring margin is +7.6 points per game.
The over/under for this week’s game is set at 49.5 points. TCU’s games have averaged 69.6 points, and their over/under record is 4-0, with an average line of 59.2 points.
Heading into week 6, TCU’s offense is ranked 16th in our power rankings, and they are averaging 38.6 points per game, which ranks 20th nationally. They have been one of the most pass-heavy teams in the country, ranking 3rd in passing attempts and yards per game, with 41.4 attempts and 364.8 yards. They lead the nation in completions, averaging 29.2 per game, and have converted 51.5% of their third-down attempts.
Josh Hoover has thrown for 1,774 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 112. TCU ranks 12th in completion percentage, connecting on 70.5% of their passes. On the ground, they are 106th in rushing yards, averaging 107 yards per game. Cam Cook leads the team with 259 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Jack Bech is the leading receiver, with 647 yards and six touchdowns on 35 catches.
TCU’s defense, ranked 72nd nationally, is giving up 31 points per game this season. In their recent game against Kansas, they allowed 27 points, surrendering 347 total yards, including 168 rushing yards and 179 passing yards, while forcing one interception.
Opponents have averaged 178.4 rushing yards per game against TCU, ranking them 124th in the nation. However, TCU’s pass defense has been strong, allowing just 155.8 passing yards per game, the 24th fewest in the country, and holding quarterbacks to a 53.6% completion rate.