TCU has some real issues on offense. Last three games: 16 points vs. Texas, 17 vs. Iowa State, 14 tonight vs. the worst defense in the Big 12. That Frogs went for 28 on 511 yards vs. Ohio State is an even bigger mark against OSU's defense than it was at the time.<doc-sep>Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports. Pictured:Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Kolin Hill (13) looks over to the sidelines during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. Texas Tech won the game 41-17 In tonight’s rare midweek Big 12 matchup, TCU is listed as a 7-point favorite against visiting Texas Tech. While it’s an intriguing game, it hasn’t drawn sharp money on either side in particular. Instead, wiseguys have been making their play on the over/under. Big 12 football has become synonymous with points. Since 2011, it has featured 17 conference games with an over/under of 80 or higher. No other conference has more than four. So when two Big 12 teams open with a total of 61, you can probably guess which bet the public is going to make. Early public bettors unsurprisingly flocked to the over, which initially drove this total up to 64. Since then, however, sharp bettors have been hammering away at the under, driving it all the way down to 59 , even though the over is still seeing 71% of bets. Sports Insights’ bet signals have triggered six sharp money indicators on the under — occurring when one sportsbook takes a sharp wager that causes the entire market to shift lines. If you’re looking to follow the sharps, however, it’s important to note that the last steam move came at a total of 60.5.<doc-sep>Texas Tech-TCU Betting Preview Odds: TCU -7 Over/Under: 61 Time: 7:30 p.m. ET, Thursday TV: ESPN >> All odds as of 8 a.m. ET. Download The Action Network App to get real-time odds and track your bets. Gary Patterson might just have some secrets for slowing down Texas Tech’s offense. Since TCU joined the Big 12, it has allowed a 56.6 completion percentage and only 6.8 yards per pass attempt to the Red Raiders. Against the rest of the conference? Texas Tech has completed 63.7% of passes at 7.55 yards per attempt. Heck, even Patrick Mahomes threw for just 206 yards against TCU in his final season, a week after he hung 734 (!) passing yards on Oklahoma. Will this continue on Thursday? Let’s dive in. TCU-Texas Tech Betting Trends Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury is 6-1 ATS with at least 10 days between games. Gary Patterson is 9-4 ATS in that same spot, but has lost his last three. Both teams last played Sept. 29. Texas Tech has played four games with a total lower than 61 in the last four seasons, and all four have gone under by an average margin of 10.8 points per game. Tech has been held under 28 points just 15 times since 2013, and four of those were against TCU. Inside Coaching Knowledge? Is Sonny Cumbie TCU’s secret weapon? Since he arrived in Fort Worth, TCU’s defense has shut down Texas Tech, save for 2015. The Horned Frog’s co-offensive coordinator played quarterback at Texas Tech and took over the starting job when Kingsbury graduated. He coached at Tech for five years, including one as Kingsbury’s offensive coordinator. There may not be anyone better prepared to help Patterson scheme for the Red Raiders’ aerial assault than Cumbie, even though he’s not a defensive coach. Texas Tech has averaged 5.4 yards per play (quite low by its standards) and 27.5 points per game against TCU since Cumbie joined the Frogs staff. Quarterback Questions The quarterback situation for both teams has been hazy since they last played on Sept. 29. Texas Tech’s Alan Bowman sustained a collapsed lung two weeks ago against West Virginia, but is expected to play. Jett Duffey was good in his place and efficient running, as well. TCU’s Shawn Robinson banged up his non-throwing shoulder against Iowa State, and while he’s available, he may not start. The Horned Frogs went solely out of the wildcat to set up a last-minute, game-winning field goal against the Cyclones. In his place would be Michael Collins, who lost out on the starting job to Robinson after transferring from Penn in 2017. He’s just 6-of-14 for 105 yards this season. Can TCU Offense Get on Track? How have teams attacked Texas Tech with success this season? Throwing early in a drive, then throwing more on passing downs. Tech’s opponents are throwing on 57.82% of their plays, the third-highest mark in the country. TCU’s offense is hard to gauge because it’s played three really good defenses (Ohio State, Texas, Iowa State), and two really bad ones (SMU, Southern). Nothing in the middle. But TCU hasn’t been great throwing the ball. Robinson is averaging just 6.8 yards per pass attempt, and TCU ranks 91st in passing efficiency, per Football Study Hall. Where the Horned Frogs had success against Ohio State was with big plays, scoring two touchdowns of at least 50 yards. And Texas Tech is among the worst at stopping big plays, ranking 124th of 130 FBS teams in IsoPPP. The Pick In previous meetings, Patterson has shown a clear desire to slow the game down — in each of the last two years, Tech’s possessions have been two below their yearly average. Plus, he’s got the athletes and speed on defense to keep up with the Red Raiders offense.<doc-sep>
Colt Garrett #12 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders hands off to Mason Reed #29 during the game against the Lamar Cardinals on September 08, 2018 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech won the game 77-0. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) FORT WORTH, Texas – At this point, TCU is not giving its fans much reason for optimism. The scuffling Horned Frogs continue a three-game homestand Thursday when high-powered Texas Tech visits in a Big 12 showdown. TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: TCU -7 The Horned Frogs, who were ranked 14th before losing back-to-back games to No. 3 Ohio State and No. 14 Texas last month, narrowly escaped Iowa State their last time out. They needed a field goal with 37 seconds remaining to avoid a three-game skid, and now face a Red Raiders team that is playing well of late. Texas Tech won three straight games in September before giving No. 6 West Virginia all it could handle in a 42-34 defeat to close out the month. The Red Raiders played the second half of that contest without quarterback Alan Bowman (partially collapsed lung), who is expected to play Thursday. ABOUT TEXAS TECH (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) The Red Raiders lead the nation in total offense (591.4 yards per game) and rank eighth in scoring offense (48.4 points) entering Thursday's matchup. Bowman, a freshman who threw for 605 yards and five touchdowns against Houston on Sept. 15, is completing nearly 70 percent of his passes for 1,680 yards with a crisp 11-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The team has 18 rushing touchdowns, including seven from leading rusher Ta'Zhawn Henry, while Jett Duffey - who relieved Bowman at quarterback last week - is averaging 8.0 yards per carry on 21 attempts. Ad ABOUT TCU (3-2, 1-1) TCU failed to reach 300 total yards of offense against Iowa State and also committed three turnovers, but still prevailed thanks to a crisp 13-of-22 conversion rate on third and fourth downs, combined with a strong defensive effort. Shawn Robinson is expected to play after he suffered a shoulder injury late in the Cyclones game, although he has surpassed 200 yards passing only once in five games this season. Darius Anderson (316 yards) is the team's leading rusher despite a poor two-game stretch (24 carries for 57 yards) heading into Thursday. EXTRA POINTS 1. Texas Tech WR Antoine Wesley leads the Big 12 with 124.2 receiving yards per game. 2. TCU has won three of the last four meetings, including a 27-3 rout a season ago. 3. The Horned Frogs are looking to win their ninth straight home game. PREDICTION: TCU 39, Texas Tech 37 More college football scores