This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Best Bets: Stanford vs. TCU
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On Friday, TCU will visit Stanford, the California-based program that is a member of…the Atlantic Coast Conference. That can't possibly be accurate. As the Cardinal settle in for their first home game in their new conference, what does the betting situation look like?
Stanford vs. TCU Betting Odds
Spread: TCU -9.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Total: 58.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook), 59.0 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Moneyline: TCU -310 (DraftKings Sportsbook), Stanford +275 (BetMGM)
Both of these teams are coming off disappointing seasons, but TCU has a more recent track record of success and an easier path in terms of recruiting and transfers, so perhaps it is not surprising that, even on the road, TCU is the favorite. However, being 9.5-point favorites does catch the eye.
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Stanford vs. TCU Betting Picks
The Horned Frogs were at the center of a football firestorm in Week 1 of last season when they lost 45-42 to Deion Sanders' cult of personality (also known as Colorado football). They rebounded a bit, but finished 5-7. Troy Taylor, fresh off great success at Sacramento State, made the move to Stanford to start a rebuild. In Year 1, the Cardinal went 3-9, getting rolled time and time again, and also losing to Sacramento State.
Just two seasons ago, though, Sonny Dykes had TCU in the playoffs. He also landed on Josh Hoover at quarterback halfway through 2024, which helped. Stanford, meanwhile, is relying on a lot of the same guys as part of a slow growth, because the academically-inclined school can't recruit talent like, say, a school in Fort Worth, Texas. I expect TCU to win, but 9.5 points is a big line for a road team coming off a 5-7 season. Thinking back to that 45-42 loss in Week 1 TCU had last year, and thinking back to five or six losses Stanford had, the thing I want to bet on the most is questionable defense.
Stanford vs. TCU Best Bet: Over 58.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Stanford vs. TCU Betting Predictions
In Week 1, with both of these teams opening a new campaign, there are more unknowns than usual. What I do know is that Stanford allowed over 40 points time and time against in 2023. Hoover had five starts throwing for over 300 yards last year once he took over under center. The last time the Cardinal won over three games was 2020, which was the strangest season in college football history. Dykes' TCU team should fare better than it did to open 2023, and if it drops 40-plus on Stanford I will not be surprised. Unless the Horned Frogs are much stingier on defense, though, points should be available to both teams. I can see this game being close, but I can't see it being close AND low scoring.
