When you think of a Big 12 versus ACC matchup, there could be dozens of potential contests that come to mind. But the TCU Horned Frogs playing at the Stanford Cardinal? Due to realignment, THIS IS a Big 12 against ACC contest.
Stanford is joining the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. Yes, a school from California less than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean will soon be playing universities like Boston College, Miami, and Clemson as conference mates.
It doesn’t make sense, but what will make sense are these picks for this contest on Friday night. Last season, I finished above 58 percent on the year betting college football, so you’ve come to the right place for a little bit of sarcasm to go along with some top-notch betting advice.
What should bettors expect when TCU travels west to face Stanford? We’ll cover that and our three best player prop bets below.
TCU Horned Frogs QB Josh Hoover OVER 267.5 Passing Yards
After replacing Chandler Morris midway through the season, the Horned Frogs made strides under freshman QB Josh Hoover. With Morris gone, Hoover is the unquestioned leader of this offense in 2024.
Hoover has some strong targets, too. TCU added Eric McAlister from the transfer portal to help out returning WR Savion Williams. The Horned Frogs will be able to pass the ball, and the only hesitation in picking Hoover to cover this player prop bet is how quickly will this game be out of reach for Stanford. Otherwise, take Hoover to cover.
Stanford Cardinal TE Sam Roush UNDER 34.5 Receiving Yards
Tight end Sam Roush isn’t a household name, but on Stanford’s roster, who is? The 6-foot-5 junior from Nashville finished the 2023 season with 288 receiving yards on 28 receptions, finishing the season with four out of five games eclipsing the 33-yard mark.
Against TCU, linebackers Shad Banks Jr. and Namdi Obiazor will often draw Roush in pass opportunities. Obiazor and Banks combined for 146 tackles last season and had three pass deflections in the process. Expect Roush to fall short of this player prop bet.
TCU Horned Frogs RB Trey Sanders Anytime Touchdown Scorer (-192)
Last season, TCU’s Emani Bailey was the big man on campus as the running back finished with 1,205 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. This season, backup Trey Sanders will take the mantle, and the Horned Frogs expect big things out of the senior.
In limited action last season, Bailey finished with six touchdowns – including three rushing touchdowns in the opener against Colorado. Expect Bailey again to have a big opener and score a touchdown against Stanford on Friday.
Best Bet: TCU (-9.5)
I don’t like big lines for matchups between schools where neither team finished with a winning record last season. What I do like about TCU covering this line, however, is that the Horned Frogs have head coach Sonny Dykes on the sideline, and his teams will score points.
Stanford isn’t a school that can go out and improve in the portal. Academic schools have to build from recruiting the right players, and the Cardinal won’t be appreciably better this season. Expect TCU to score a lot of them against this improved defensive unit for the Cardinal and win by double figures.
