TCU vs BYU: Odds, Predictions, and Best Bet for Saturday, November 15

The TCU Horned Frogs will head west to take on the BYU Cougars in a Big 12 battle on Saturday, November 15. BYU needs a bounce-back win after getting humbled by Texas Tech on the road last week. TCU also needs to get back in the W column after a heartbreaking loss to Iowa State.

How will this one play out? We’ll dive into which team has the edge in each statistical category. Get our top predictions and best bet here. Best of luck, sports betting family.

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

Opening Odds for TCU vs BYU

Oddsmakers are making BYU a small favorite in this game, as the opening line priced the Cougars as a 6-point favorite. A lot of money has shown up for TCU, so the price now sits at BYU -3.5 at most online sportsbooks. Be sure to shop around for the best price.

There should be a moderate amount of scoring in this game, which is kind of strange for the Big 12. The opening total was 51.5, and the number hasn’t moved at most shops. I’ll be curious to see where the late money pushes this line before the kick.

Can TCU Quit Turning the Ball Over?

The Horned Frogs have lost two of their last five outings, even though they have one of the most explosive offenses in the country. TCU averages 31.5 points per game, mainly thanks to a passing attack that averages 296.3 yards per contest. The most dangerous weapon on the squad is Eric McAlister, who has racked up 834 receiving yards and 8 TDs already this season.

TCU’s defense is a definite strength, as they rank a respectable 29th in yards per play allowed and 16th in yards per rush allowed. That could mean that BYU star RB LJ Martin will have very little daylight to run through in this one. Kaleb Elarms-Orr leads the team in both sacks (4) and tackles (92).

Will BYU Be Fired Up at Home After the Committee’s Downgrade?

The Cougars suffered their first loss of the year last Saturday in Lubbock, as they ran into a buzzsaw disguised as the Texas Tech Red Raiders. BYU’s defense held up pretty well for a half, but the offense’s lack of production simply kept them on the field way too long.

Nothing really jumps off the page about BYU’s offense, but they do quite well once they get into the red zone. The Cougars rank 25th in the nation in red zone scoring percentage, which is saying something for a team that’s starting a freshman QB. Bear Bachmeier likes to get the ball down the field to Chase Roberts, who has hauled in 38 receptions for 652 yards and 5 TDs.

Best Bet: BYU -3 (-122) (BetRivers)

The betting public tends to overreact to what they just saw, and in this case, it’s giving us some value on the hometown Cougars in this spot. BYU was just taken to the cleaners by a tough Texas Tech team last week. However, I think this is an excellent buy-low spot on the Coogs, especially since this line opened BYU-6.

TCU QB Josh Hoover is a beast, but he’s had plenty of turnover issues this season. The Horned Frogs’ gunslinger already has 19 turnover-worthy plays in 2025. That could be a problem against an opportunistic BYU defense that’s very stout in the red zone.

BYU should also be playing with a lot of motivation after getting pushed down to No. 12 by the College Football Playoff committee. Let’s play the Coogs at night in Provo, and hope that Bear Bachmeier puts on a clinic in the play-action game. Good luck, sports betting family!