TCU has been … interesting.
It started 2-0, collapsed in the Big 12 opener against UCF, lost a wild shootout against SMU, and get it back with a win at Kansas. With a trip to Utah up next, and a slew of tough games to follow, this is a big moment to stay in the conference title chase.
Houston is looking to jumpstart this thing.
It has a blowout win over Rice, and then it didn’t score in two straight games. The schedule is a brutal disaster after this - at Kansas, Utah, Kansas State, at Arizona - but it needs to find the offense in a hurry.
Sep 7, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) stands on the field before the game against the Long Island Sharks at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
© Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Houston vs TCU Preview
Houston vs TCU How to Watch
Date: Friday, October 4, 2024
Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
How to Watch: ESPN
TCU (3-2), Houston (1-4)
- Week 6 Schedule, Predictions
- 5 Biggest College Football Surprises
- 5 Biggest Disappointments
- Bowl Projections | CFN 1-134 Rankings
- College Football Playoff Projections: Week 6
Predicting the Rest of the Season
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC
Why Houston Will Win
Okay, fine. It’s hard to win if you don’t score a point, but this if fixable if the team can just do one important thing …
Stop turning the ball over.
The Cougars gave it up two times in each of the first two games and three times in each of the last two. The one time they didn’t turn it over was in the win over Rice.
The running game has been okay - it had its best game of the year against the Owls - and now it gets to face a TCU team that lost both times it allowed over 200 rushing yards.
Even more important, Houston needs the Horned Frogs to screw up, too. They turned it over five times in the loss to SMU and three times against Kansas.
Why TCU Will Win
Yeah, TCU is making too many mistakes, and it’s not consistent, it has a huge problem on third downs, and it’s getting penalized way too often, and …
Again, Houston doesn’t score.
It doesn’t have a passing game - it failed to hit 100 yards in either of the last two outings - and too many drives are coming to a dead stop.
As long as Horned Frog QB Josh Hoover is able to hit a few deep shots early, that should lead the way to a few scores when just one might be enough.
Houston vs TCU: Who Will Win
Houston will score. It just won't do it enough.
It’ll come up with a little more pop with the ground game than it’s had over the last few weeks, and it won’t be enough.
A few turnovers will be there and TCU will pounce on both of them. The offense will flip them to points fast.
Houston vs TCU Prediction, Betting Lines
TCU 34, Houston 16
Line: TCU -16.5, o/u: 51.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Houston vs TCU Must See Rating: 2
Week 6 CFN Expert Picks
Houston at TCU | Michigan St at Oregon
Syracuse at UNLV | UCLA at Penn State
Missouri at Texas A&M | SMU at Louisville
Iowa at Ohio State | Auburn at Georgia
Ole Miss at So Carolina | Rutgers at Neb
Clemson at Florida St | Tenn at Arkansas
Michigan at Washington | Miami at Cal
Texas Tech at Arizona
