The Texas Longhorns have a coach in flux and a season which has not lived up to expectations. They will aim to put that in the rearview mirror with a win over the TCU Horned Frogs in Week 13 of the college football season. It will be the finale for Texas and the second-to-last game of the year for TCU.
Even though coach Charlie Strong is rumored to be on the outs, Texas is actually favored in this game and will aim to win despite the ongoing focus on their leader. The Horned Frogs have lost three of their past four games but are only slight underdogs and will aim to pull the upset.
Watch this regular season Week 13 matchup live on Friday, November 25, 2016, at 7 p.m. ET at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
TCU +3
Texas -3
Over/Under 59
Odds Analysis
Texas is a slight favorite to win this one and the betting public believes the Longhorns will cover the spread, with more than 63 percent of the money getting put on them.
The scoring total has been deemed too high as more than 63 percent of the money is also taking the “under” in this matchup.
The Longhorns are 5-6 straight up and 6-4-1 against the spread on the season. Texas has covered in three of four tries as the favorite as well as four of five at home.
TCU is 5-5 straight up but just 2-8 against the spread, badly underperforming expectations. The Horned Frogs and Longhorns will both hope to pick up bowl eligibility while emerging victorious.
Coaching Angle
This could very well be Strong’s last game at the helm for the Longhorns. The coach, who is his third season in Austin, has a record of 16-20 overall and is rumored to be on the chopping block after another lackluster performance by the Longhorns this season.
Texas came into the season young and inexperienced, but many Texas fans believe the team’s woes have also been caused by a lack of preparation and a lack of discipline, issues that can usually be attributed directly to coaching. Last week’s overtime loss to a 2-9 Kansas team was a new low and while a win against TCU could possibly help Strong avoid the ax, the move may already be determined, and a loss certainly wouldn’t help.
The Texas players don’t want their coach to get fired and hope an inspired performance in the season finale can help sway the powers-that-be. That’s something to keep in mind when wagering on this one.
Player to Watch
Shane Buechele – The Texas quarterback will be looking to finish the regular season with a win after a disappointing loss last week against Kansas. The true freshman threw for a season-low 165 yards last week with a season-high three interceptions.
The dismal performance from the passing game last week, which also included three sacks on Buechele, was a stark contrast to the week before where the young quarterback threw for 318 yards in the loss to West Virginia. He has completed 220-of-352 passes for 2,740 yards this season with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Free ATS Pick
TCU is averaging more than 300 yards through the air and more than 190 on the ground, so moving the ball hasn’t been a problem. The Horned Frogs are averaging 34.3 points per game but their defense hasn’t always held up its end of the bargain.
TCU was 4-2 early in the season but has fallen off lately with losses to West Virginia, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State within the last month.
Texas actually bounced back for a bit earlier this season with back-to-back wins over Baylor and Texas Tech, but losses to West Virginia and Kansas have put Strong on the hot seat. The Longhorns will do what they can to make a case for him to stay with a win in this one in which they should also cover the spread.
College Football Odds: Texas 34, TCU 28
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