Saturday, October 24th \u2013 7:30 PM ET
\nLaVell Edwards Stadium
\nNCAA Football Betting Spread: TCU -2.5, O\/U: 51<\/p>\n
CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST NCAA FOOTBALL WEEK 8 GAMBLING PICKS!! —–><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n TCU: The Week That Was<\/strong><\/p>\n Gary Patterson\u2019s Horned Frogs prepared for the Mountain West game of the year by dumping Colorado State, 44-6, in Fort Worth. TCU held the Rams to just 182 yards of total offense, shutting out CSU over the game\u2019s final 50 minutes. A key to the victory was TCU\u2019s defensive prowess on third down. Colorado State was just 2-13 on third downs, which enabled the Horned Frogs to get many possessions and wear down the Rams as the game continued.<\/p>\n TCU held a slim 10-6 edge late in the second quarter, but by leaning on a less physical opponent, TCU managed to open the floodgates in the second half of play. The contest became so one-sided that Patterson shuttled in lots of running backs. A total of 14 TCU players carried the ball for positive yardage, enabling the Frogs to accumulate 275 yards on the ground. BYU: The Week That Was <\/strong><\/p>\n Coach Bronco Mendenhall\u2019s Cougars weren\u2019t impressive, but then again, they didn\u2019t have to be \u2013 they were playing lowly San Diego State the week before taking on TCU. Yes, BYU probably looked ahead and didn\u2019t take San Diego State as seriously as it could have, but the Cougars ultimately took care of business to run their record to 6-1.<\/p>\n Quarterback Max Hall threw for 346 yards and led two touchdown drives within a four-minute span, thereby enabling BYU to break a 21-all tie in the third quarter and establish a 35-21 lead with 14:49 left in regulation. The Aztecs scored a touchdown of their own to reduce BYU\u2019s lead to one possession (35-28) with just over eight minutes remaining, but when Cougar kicker Mitch Payne nailed a 44-yard boot with 2:21 left, the visitors from the Wasatch Mountains re-established a two-score lead, putting the game out of reach.<\/p>\n The Week That Is: <\/strong><\/p>\n This game is a mystery because of the schedules these two teams have played. TCU\u2019s best win came at Clemson, so a 6-0 record is thoroughly unconvincing. The Horned Frogs have not yet earned their No. 8 national ranking.<\/p>\n On the other hand, BYU\u2019s ranking is partly the result of a one-point win over an Oklahoma club that lacked Sam Bradford for most of that evening on Sept. 3. Moreover, BYU got throttled on home turf by a Florida State squad that has been eternally unpredictable. The nation will be wondering: Which BYU team will show up this Saturday \u2013 the one that outfought Oklahoma, or the one that watched Florida State frolic at LaVell Edwards Stadium?<\/p>\n This is a game that\u2019s very difficult to pick. TCU has a slightly better team, but BYU has a very significant home-field advantage. The Horned Frogs have been a very consistent program over the past decade, but they haven\u2019t yet become an elite one. In the end, TCU has to prove to the college football world that it can win a game like this. Go with BYU in a close one.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/media.partners.betus.com\/BANNERS\/football\/sportsbook_NCAAGOTW1_300x600_mybanner1.gif\")
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