Unranked Houston heads to Fort Worth to face unranked TCU at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN on Friday night. Can the Horned Frogs cover the 16.5-point spread as home favorites this weekend? Keep reading for our Houston vs. TCU betting prediction.
Houston is 1-4 straight up this season and 2-3 against the spread. Their only win came against Rice, and their worst loss came against Cincinnati.
TCU is 3-2 straight up this season and 1-4 against the spread. Their best win came against Kansas, and their worst loss came against UCF.
Houston vs. TCU Matchup & Betting Odds
309 Houston Cougars (+16.5) at 310 TCU Horned Frogs (-16.5); o/u 51.5
7:30 p.m. ET, Friday, October 4, 2024
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
TV: ESPN
Houston vs. TCU Public Betting Prediction
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 85% of bets are on Houston. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
Houston Cougars Game Notes
Cougars running back Tony Mathis (knee), reserve quarterback Caleb McMickle (knee), and running back Steve Polk (Achilles) will all sit out Friday night’s game against TCU. Mathis recorded 170 rushing yards and 79 receiving yards for Houston last season.
Houston wide receiver Koby Young (undisclosed), defensive back Teagan Wilk (undisclosed), backup quarterback Zeon Chriss (shoulder), running back Sherman Smith (ankle), and tight end Matt Byrnes (groin) are all officially listed as questionable for Friday’s contest.
TCU Horned Frogs Game Notes
Horned Frogs wide receiver Jordyn Bailey is questionable for Friday’s game against Houston with a shoulder injury. Bailey has 3 catches for 24 yards and a touchdown this season.
TCU wide receiver Dylan Wright, third-string quarterback Hauss Hejny, starting free safety Bud Clark, and third-string slot receiver Major Everhart are all questionable to play on Friday with undisclosed injuries. The biggest potential loss out of the group listed above would likely be Clark. The redshirt junior has 20 total tackles and 2 passes defended in 4 games of action for the Horned Frogs this season.
Houston vs. TCU Betting Trends
Houston is 3-6-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
The Cougars are 3-4 ATS as the road team since the start of last season.
TCU is 11-9-1 ATS in conference games since the start of the 2022 season.
TCU is 2-0 ATS in their last 2 games against Houston.
Houston vs. TCU Betting Prediction
It’s hard to quantify how bad Houston’s offense has been this season. The Cougars are averaging just 10.4 points per game this year. That figure ranks 130th in the FBS. Houston has gotten shut out two weeks in a row. The Cougars lost at Cincinnati 34-0 on September 21, then lost 20-0 at home to Iowa State this past Saturday. Their quarterback, Donovan Smith, has thrown 2 touchdowns and 5 interceptions this season. His QBR is 40.6, which ranks 97th in the country. I’m not sure how Houston will be able to score enough to keep this game close.
TCU’s offense has been explosive this season. The Horned Frogs are averaging 37.0 points per game in 2024. Their starting quarterback is Josh Hoover, who leads the Big 12 with 1,774 passing yards. Hoover also has a touchdown-pass-to-interception ratio of 14-4 this season and a QBR of 85.5. The latter mark is the 9th best figure in the country. TCU trounced Houston 36-13 on the road last season, and I could see a similar game playing out in Fort Worth on Friday night. I’m laying the points with the Horned Frogs in this one.