TCU Horned Frogs at Baylor Bears
Friday, 9/2/11, 8:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: TCU -6.5
Current Betting Line: TCU -5.5
Opening Total: 57
Current Total: 56
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
TCU will be looking to extend that nation’s second-longest win streak that currently sits at 13, trailing last year’s national champion, Auburn (15) in the category. The Horned Frogs also captured the 2011 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin last year, but the team has heard enough about it. “We can’t talk about the Rose Bowl anymore or last season,” commented senior linebacker Tank Carder. “This is a different team.” He is a legitimate All-America candidate and Mountain West Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. It’s important to note that the school will be within its current conference for just a season before heading to Big East play. TCU is 7-3 ATS as a road favorite the last two years.
The Horned Frogs say goodbye to the Andy Dalton era, current starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, welcoming in Casey Pachall. He will be pressured to demonstrate that he can throw the ball early by opponents, as TCU possesses a dynamic running game with Ed Wesley in the backfield. The program has been truly dominant under head coach Gary Patterson in recent years and 16 of the last 20 victories have come by at least 27 points.
Baylor ended a 16-year bowl drought by earning a Texas Bowl bid last year and now the program is looking to make some early noise under ninth-year head coach Art Briles. The Bears were trampled in a 45-10 loss last year to the Horned Frogs by giving up 291 yards rushing and 267 passing. Offensively, the team will possess one of the best units in the Big 12 Conference, featuring dangerous dual-threat quarterback Robert Griffin III. “We’re a big play offense,” Griffin III commented. “We’re doing a good job of scoring fast, but also coming back out putting together some long drives.” Baylor is 3-7 ATS at home over the past two seasons.
The Bears made a big move to try and solve their defensive problems by hiring defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, a 32-year coaching veteran. He has served in that capacity for eight different schools—facing teams in the Big East, Big 12, SEC, Big Ten and Big Eight. Baylor’s schedule is hospitable for producing a solid record due to playing seven home games, which is tied for the most in Floyd Casey Stadium history. The program is 2-10 all-time when playing on ESPN’s family of stations and 9-17 in televised games overall under Briles.
Bettors will likely back the Horned Frogs due to their 6-2 ATS mark versus the Big 12 Conference, while the Bears are 18-38 ATS in their last 56 games as a home underdog.
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