TCU Horned Frogs (5-7 Last season) vs. Stanford Cardinal (3-9 Last season)
The 2024 NCAAF season kicks off with an intriguing Week 1 matchup as the TCU Horned Frogs, hoping to improve on their 5-7 finish last season, travel to Stanford Stadium to face the Stanford Cardinal, who are looking to rebound from a disappointing 3-9 record. Set for Friday, this game will be broadcasted live on ESPN. For those seeking free NCAAF Week 1 picks, this game offers a compelling look at two teams set to redefine their standing early in the season.
In this season, TCU Horned Frogs’ record from last year was not triumphant, but they have strong points in their running and receiving units. Trey Sanders, the running back, had a good performance during the previous season with 176 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns on 48 carries which makes him a good option for ground game. Also, Savion Williams was magnificent as he had 573 yards on 41 receptions and four touchdowns throughout the season. Their performances will be important in dominating their offense as TCU looks to dominate offensively.
Alternatively, the Stanford Cardinal have shown potential on the other hand, despite their struggles, particularly in their receiving corps. Even though he only rushed 334 yards last season, Justin Lamson was able to find the end zone 5 times, implying his ability to make critical plays successful. The actual star has been Elic Ayomanor who had 1013 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns, showing that he is a major downfield threat. TCU’s defense will be severely tested by Stanford’s offensive skills.
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Stanford Cardinal Game Info
| When: | Friday, August 30, 2024, at 10:30 PM ET |
| Where: | Stanford Stadium |
| TV: | ESPN |
| Stream: | Sofascore |
Josh Hoover QB vs. Ashton Daniels QB
Josh Hoover, the TCU quarterback, completed 185 of his 298 passing attempts last year and received 2206 yards in the process. This was accompanied by 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions which is a good if not outstanding performance. With a completion rate of 62.1% and passer rating of 134.8, Hoover has been able to demonstrate efficiency and the ability to make big plays, conceding that he also got take-downed eight times during the previous season.
On the contrary, Ashton Daniels from Stanford University managed 191 passes completed out of 325 attempts, with 2247 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His completion rate was slightly lower at 58.8%, while his passer rating was significantly higher at about 123.1, indicating some issues in terms of consistency or decision making under pressure since he had been sacked for about 27 times last year. Daniels’ improved pocket presence and connection with such receivers as Ayomanor may help Stanford’s offensive game plan a lot.
NCAAF Odds/Point Spread: TCU Horned Frogs -350, Total Odds: 61.5
The betting odds favor TCU with a -9.5 spread and a -350 moneyline, indicating strong confidence in their ability to secure a win against Stanford. The total set at 61.5 points suggests expectations for a relatively high-scoring game, aligning with the offensive capabilities demonstrated by both teams last season.
TCU Horned Frogs Betting Trends
TCU has proven to be a team that is miserable on the road, as it has gone 1-5 ATS in its last 6 away games. However, the team has been dominant against Pac-12 competition, with its previous ten such matchups resulting in nine straight wins. Moreover, historical performance in Week 1 games shows they have eight victories out of nine.
Stanford Cardinal Betting Trends
Stanford has struggled to cover the spread recently and boasts of a terrible home record at Stanford Stadium which stands at 0-9 SU in their last 9 games. Nonetheless, versus Big 12 teams, they have shown themselves well ATS with a record of five wins and one loss over last six meetings.
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Stanford Cardinal 8/30/24 Betting Picks
Considering the different trends and performance indicators, in this game TC is. Nevertheless, it should not be ignored that Stanford has proven its worth while playing against Big 12 teams. This will be key for bettors to understand where the line is going and maybe even look at taking the under since TCU still fits a strong under trend.
As for the last pick, Stanford may cover +9.5, but TCU’s Hoover can put some pressure on them given his ATS record against Big 12 squads. One of my recommended bets would be to take Stanford to cover +9.5 with a projected score of TCU 31-24 keeping an eye on the under total. Additionally, this match also presents interesting prop bets and in-game adjustments which make it among the top live betting options available anywhere
