In-state rivals TCU and Houston will meet on Friday night in one of the newer Big 12 matchups. Houston just joined the conference last season but has gone just 2-9 in Big 12 play since then, including 0-2 this season. The Cougars have a 1-4 overall record in 2024, while TCU is 3-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The Horned Frogs prevailed in their inaugural Big 12 matchup a year ago and have defeated the Cougars in nine straight meetings. TCU is 1-4 against the spread this season, while Houston is 2-3 ATS.
Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas will host this 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. After opening at -18.5, the Horned Frogs are now favored by 16.5 points, per SportsLine consensus, in the latest TCU vs. Houston odds, while the over/under is 51. Before entering any Houston vs. TCU picks, you’ll want to see the college football predictions from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also went a sizzling 6-0 on all top-rated college football picks in Week 5. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.
The model has set its sights on TCU vs. Houston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college football betting lines for the spread, money line and over/under:
- TCU vs. Houston spread: TCU -16.5
- TCU vs. Houston over/under: 51 points
- TCU vs. Houston money line: TCU -820, Houston +548
- TCU vs. Houston picks: See picks here
- TCU vs. Houston streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Houston can cover
The Cougars have the defensive ability to slow down TCU and make this a competitive game as just 10 teams in all of college football allow fewer passing yards per game than Houston. If TCU can’t move the ball through the air, then its offense could come to a halt as the Horned Frogs are simply not built to run the ball. Their 101 rushing yards per game ranks 115th out of 134 FBS teams, and their miniscule 3.3 yards per carry is also 115th in the country.
Houston also has considerable advantages in terms of spread success. It is 6-3 against the spread following a straight-up defeat since the start of last year, while TCU usually doesn’t handle success well in its ensuing game. The Horned Frogs are just 2-5 ATS after a victory since the start of 2023. That’s only a 28.6% cover percentage and is the second-worst cover rate amongst current Big 12 teams. See which team to pick here.
Why TCU can cover
Few teams can match the offensive productivity of the Horned Frogs, who rank third in the Big 12 in scoring and fourth in all of college football in passing offense. TCU had three passing touchdowns in last week’s win over Kansas, which matches the number of passing TDs Houston has had this entire season. Quarterback Josh Hoover leads the Big 12 in both total yards (1,768) and total touchdowns (16), and he has an elite option out wide in Jack Bech.
After two years at LSU, Bech transferred to TCU last year, but 2024 has been his breakout season. He ranks second in FBS in receiving yards (647) and third in receiving TDs (six), while topping the Big 12 in both categories. He’s racked up at least eight receptions and 131 yards in each of his last three games, scoring five total touchdowns over that stretch. He also has a solid running mate in Eric McAlister, who has posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving games himself. See which team to pick here.
How to make Houston vs. TCU picks
The model has simulated TCU vs. Houston 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Houston vs. TCU, and which side of the spread is hitting over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the TCU vs. Houston spread to jump on, all from the advanced computer model that’s up well over $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks since its inception, and find out.
