The Iowa State Cyclones (0-1) visit the TCU Horned Frogs (0-0) Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, for a 1:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Below, we analyze the Iowa State-TCU college football betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Iowa State at TCU: Betting odds and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 9:25 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Iowa State -134 | TCU +110
- Against the spread/ATS: Iowa State -2.5 (-110) | TCU +2.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 44.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Iowa State at TCU: Three things to know
1. TCU is one of many college programs dealing with a stutter start to the 2020 season. The Horned Frogs were scheduled to open the season Sept. 11 against SMU, but positive COVID-19 tests among players and staff members forced a postponement. While being tested for COVID-19 last month, QB Max Duggan was diagnosed with a long-term heart defect. He’s since been cleared to play, but transfer QB Matthew Downing has had a good fall and was announced Tuesday by HC Gary Patterson as Saturday’s starter. Downing had a cup of coffee with Georgia in 2018 but is otherwise untested.
2. Iowa State drilled TCU 49-24 last October. Returning QB Brock Purdy — now a senior and a third-year starter — went 19-of-24 for 247 passing yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 102 yards and two more scores. For TCU, the game was the beginning of a slide that saw the Frogs lose six of their last eight games in 2019.
3. Purdy and the Cyclones struggled in a disappointing 31-14 season-opening loss to Louisiana on Sept. 12. ISU was undone by big plays and a minus-2 in turnovers.
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Iowa State at TCU: Odds, betting lines and picks
Prediction
TCU 27, Iowa State 17
Money line (ML)
Patterson-coached teams have a nice history of successful bouncebacks after bad losses from one year to the next. Backing the HORNED FROGS (+110) makes sense here.
Against the spread (ATS)
Dating to last season, Iowa State is 0-6 ATS over its last half-dozen games. TCU is 7-22 ATS in its last 29 at home. Something’s got to give, and the consistent recruiting edge for TCU — and depth in a year where that is crucial — plays out as the ultimate difference maker. HORNED FROGS PLUS TWO-AND-A-HOOK WILL DO.
Over/Under (O/U)
A low-score game flow is the probable outcome here, but that’s baked into this total. Take the Under if the total climbs to 45. Otherwise, PASS.
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