TCU vs. Oklahoma Spread Prediction
A pair of Big 12 rivals coming off three-point losses will square off on Saturday when the TCU Horned Frogs host the Oklahoma Sooners at 12:00 p.m. ET. Despite their recent struggles, will the Horned Frogs cover as a 7.5-point home dog?
Game Snapshot
383 Oklahoma Sooners at 384 TCU Horned Frogs
12:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, October 20, 2018
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Sooners are 7.5-point favorites to beat the Horned Frogs. The total, meanwhile, sits at 62 points. As of this writing, 63% of the public betting tickets wagered on this matchup are on the Sooners.
Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma named assistant head coach and defensive tackles coach Ruffin McNeill interim defensive coordinator. The Sooners fired Mike Stoops on Monday after giving up 33 points in a victory over Baylor two weeks ago and 48 (and 501 total yards) in a loss to Texas last week. Oklahoma HC Lincoln Riley and McNeill have a long history together. They coached together at Texas Tech from 2007-09. When McNeill was hired as coach of East Carolina, he hired Riley as his offensive coordinator. Riley served in that function from 2010-14 before moving on to Norman. In June 2017, after he’d been named head coach at Oklahoma, Riley hired McNeill on as an assistant coach.
TCU Horned Frogs
TCU sophomore QB Shawn Robinson (shoulder) completed 26-of-45 passes for 290 yards, two touchdowns and two touchdowns while rushing for 42 yards in Thursday’s 17-14 loss to Texas Tech. Robinson (6’2/228) was dealing with a banged-up shoulder coming into the game, but ultimately was able to play the entirety of the contest. As for how he played, we’d give the sophomore’s performance mixed-to-poor reviews. For seemingly every play where Robinson was improvising to beautiful effect, such as on his 20-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Reagor in the second quarter, he had a questionable decision or a misplaced ball which prevented TCU from putting together any sort of sustained offensive push. We had high hopes for Robinson this season, but he’s now thrown an interception in every game outside the opener. He’s been picked off multiple times in three games. Robinson will try to shake off his inconsistencies long enough to have a moment in the sun against Oklahoma in Week 8.
Betting Trends
Oklahoma
The Sooners are 1-4 against the spread in their last five games overall and 1-5 against the number in their last six road games.
TCU
The Horned Frogs are 0-5 against the spread in their last five conference games and have failed to cover in seven of their last nine games overall.
Prediction
I would love to grab the points here with the home dog but I simply don’t trust TCU. The Horned Frogs’ turnover margin per game is -1.50, which is tied for No. 125th in the nation. Even though they lost to the Sooners twice last year and are in a revenge spot, TCU’s quarterback problems have been on full display this season and Gary Patterson is 0-4 against the spread at home in a conference revenge spot anyway. I don’t believe Oklahoma’s defensive issues will be fixed in one game but if the Sooners put a few quick scores on the board this one will get ugly in a hurry.
College Football Prediction: Oklahoma Sooners -7.5