The Arkansas Razorbacks averted disaster with a one-point win over Louisiana Tech in its regular season opener. The caliber of play will need to be much higher if they have a chance at springing the upset on the TCU Horned Frogs in Week 2 of the regular season.
TCU also didn’t perform impressively in its opener but came away with a win over South Dakota State. The Horned Frogs will be at home for this one and have a high-powered offense that is expected to emerge victorious.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 1 game is set for Saturday, September 10, 2016, at 7 p.m. ET at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arkansas +7.5
TCU -7.5
Over/Under 60.5
Odds Analysis
The spread makes it enticing to choose Arkansas, as even a loss by a touchdown would cover the spread. However, most of the money is going toward TCU, as nearly 57 percent of the wagers have taken the Horned Frogs to cover.
The scoring total is high as TCU is known for its ability to score points in a hurry. The “under” is getting hit hard, as more than 68 percent of bettors think the defenses will at least gain some traction.
Player to Watch
TCU quarterback Kenny Hill. The Horned Frogs were tied with South Dakota State, 24-24, at the half last week, but the team’s new quarterback helped it pull away.
Hill finished the game by completing 33-of-49 passes for 439 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also added seven carries for 45 yards.
Hill is the replacement for Trevone Boykin, who is off to the NFL after throwing for 3,574 yards with 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions a season ago. Hill needs to limit the interceptions but got off to a nice start.
Key Stat
7. Points the Razorbacks needed in the fourth quarter to rally for a win over Louisiana Tech. Quarterback Austin Allen found tight end Jeremy Sprinkle on fourth down for the winning points with 6:37 remaining.
Arkansas was not very impressive and almost suffered a similar early-season upset to a non-Power 5 conference like it did last year against Toledo. The Razorbacks escaped to start the season 1-0, but the competition level now takes a huge hump.
Free ATS Pick
TCU is ranked nationally and has been among the better programs in the BIG XII over the past several years. The Horned Frogs have a star in wideout Taj Williams, who had 11 catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the opener.
TCU likes playing at a fast pace and will try to wear down Arkansas. The Razorbacks’ defense held stout in the opener and must find a way to corral Hill. The rushing defense allowed only 3.4 yards per carry against Louisiana Tech and doing something similar would allow the secondary to get put into advantageous situations.
The Horned Frogs should be right in the mix in conference play, but the slow start a week ago was concerning. That can be chalked up to early-season hiccups if they come out and play well against an inferior Arkansas team.
Expect that to happen, as TCU should be able to cover the spread. The “over” is the right play as the Horned Frogs can light up the scoreboard in a hurry and should be able to pull away with some big plays in the second half.
College Football Odds: TCU 38, Arkansas 25
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