Two Lone Star State foes will meet in Fort Worth for possibly the final time tonight as the No. 7 Texas Longhorns hit the road to meet the TCU Horned Frogs. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will air on ABC.
Texas (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) survived a 33-30 overtime battle against Kansas State last Saturday and with Oklahoma falling in Bedlam, the Longhorns have jumped back to the top of the Big 12 standings. The Wildcats went blow-for-blow with the Horns throughout the afternoon and Chris Tennant 45-yard field goal at the end of regulation sent the game to OT. After a Bert Auburn FG put UT up in the first OT, the defense was able to stonewall K-State and get out of there with the win. For today’s game, starting quarterback Quinn Ewers will return after missing the last two weeks with a shoulder injury.
TCU (4-5, 2-4 Big 12) is fighting for bowl eligibility after dropping two straight games and fell to Texas Tech in a 35-28 loss last Saturday. The Horned Frogs were up 21-20 late in the third quarter before Josh Hoover threw an interception that led to the Red Raiders punching in the go-ahead score two plays later. Trailing by a touchdown in the final minute, TCU’s comeback efforts were thwarted when Hoover was picked off once again.
SP+ Rankings
Texas: 6 overall, 10 offense, 8 defense
TCU: 29 overall, 29 offense, 40 defense
Injury update
Texas
DB Jalen Catalon – Questionable (Undisclosed)
TCU
WR Jack Bech – Out (Undisclosed)
WR Warren Thompson – Out (Undisclosed)
TE Chase Curtis – Questionable (Undisclosed)
WR Dylan Wright – Out (Undisclosed)
ATS/Total
Against The Spread in 2023
Texas: 4-4-1 ATS
TCU: 3-6 ATS
Total in 2023
Texas: Over 3-6
TCU: Over 3-6
Team Pace
Texas: 2.29 plays per minute of offense (56th)
TCU: 2.84 plays per minute of offense (3rd)
Odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Texas -12.5
Total: 56
Moneyline: Texas -500, TCU +380
Opening line: Texas -9
Opening total: 55.5
Weather
50 degrees, partly cloudy, 5 MPH winds ENE
Our Best Bet for Texas vs. TCU
Texas -12.5
Texas has an opportunity to take a step closer to the Big 12 Championship Game with a win here and I think it’ll accomplish that this evening. Quinn Ewers returning gives the Longhorns a shot in the arm and I think they’ll have no problem rolling against a TCU team that is suddenly in danger of missing a bowl. Give me the Horns to cover as a road favorite.