BYU vs. Texas Tech: 3 Player Props and Best Bet for November 8

Saturday, October 17 at 12:00 PM	Spread	Money	Total
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	-10.5 (-110)
BYU Cougars	+10.5 (-110)

The Big 12 will take center stage on Saturday when the No. 7-ranked BYU Cougars (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) travel south to face the No. 8-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) at noon.

BYU’s ascension is an unexpected one. The Cougars have clawed through the competition, winning three straight games over teams projected to finish ahead of the Utah school this year.

Texas Tech’s spot in this Top-10 clash was considered a lock. NIL has infused the school’s roster with tons of talent, and the results have been lop-sided victories for much of the year. The Red Raiders’ lone blemish was a road loss to Arizona State in October.

Can the Red Raiders continue their march toward the college football playoffs by beating BYU? We’ll cover that and provide individuals with our top three player prop bets for Saturday’s Big 12 tilt.

Texas Tech Red Raiders QB Behren Morton OVER 256.5 Passing Yards

Texas Tech is deep at every position, including quarterback. When starter Behren Morton went down earlier this year with an injury, the Red Raiders had freshman Will Hammond ready to lead the squad.

Now, Morton appears to be at full strength after his performance against Kansas State last week. In that outing, Morton completed over 65 percent of his passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

There are plenty of reasons to believe he’ll have another strong outing on Saturday. BYU surrendered over 310 passing yards to Iowa State two weeks ago. Despite having a bye to prepare for Texas Tech, bettors should take Morton to finish with at least 260 yards to cover his prop total.

BYU Cougars QB Bear Bachmeier OVER 38.5 Rushing Yards

If nothing else, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier has the coolest name in college football. Still, that’s discounting the signal-caller’s strong start to 2025, throwing for 1,693 yards, 11 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. The freshman has also run for 408 yards on 94 attempts, scoring nine times on the ground.

Last week, Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson showed opponents how to beat the Red Raiders’ defensive front. The signal-caller finished with 88 rushing yards and two scores on 15 attempts. Bachmeier – who has 11 or more carries in six games thus far – is a strong bet to finish above 40 rushing yards on Saturday, covering his prop total.

Texas Tech Red Raiders WR Caleb Douglas OVER 65.5 Receiving Yards

No matter who is under center, Texas Tech wide receiver Caleb Douglas will get targeted. The senior has 41 receptions for 594 yards and four scores, figures that would have been higher if not for blowout season-opening contests.

He’s recorded nearly the bulk of his stats since the beginning of October. Douglas has at least four receptions in each of the past five outings, but he’s netted fewer than 65 yards in two of those five outings. Bettors should expect him to garner significant attention on Saturday, but it won’t matter: take him to cover this player prop total.

Best Bet: BYU (+11)

Let’s be clear: Texas Tech should win this game. The Red Raiders have dominated their competition throughout the year, beating every team by double-digit margins. That’s why oddsmakers list Texas Tech as 11-point favorites.

That’s discounting the heart that BYU has shown this season. The Cougars have three games by less than a touchdown, holding off their Big 12 foes in each of those games. Expect BYU to keep it close throughout, dropping this contest by fewer than 11 points on Saturday.