%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Big 12 Championship Odds and Best Bets: Kansas State vs. TCU
The big question heading into the Big 12 Championship is whether TCU gets a bid to the College Football Playoff regardless of the outcome against Kansas State. A win and they are in without controversy but if they lose to the Wildcats, some speculate Ohio State or Alabama may sneak into the playoff.
Currently ranked No. 3, the Horned Frogs put their undefeated record (12-0) on the line against the Wildcats for the second time this season. After trailing by double-digits in the second half, TCU came back to win the exciting regular season matchup 38-28.
Big 12 Championship Odds: Kansas State vs. TCU
- Spread: TCU -2 (-110) | Kansas State +2 (-118)
- Moneyline: TCU (-125) | Kansas State (+100)
- Total: Over 62 (-110) | Under 62 (-118)
- Game Info: Saturday, Dec. 3 | 12:00 ET | ESPN
- Location: AT&T Stadium. Arlington, Texas
The Horned Frogs have their reptilian eyes on the playoff prize now. The defense must contain Deuce Vaughn, but should be better prepared for the Will Howard experience this time than the first meeting in October. In that game, Howard came off the bench in place of injured dual-threat starter Adrian Martinez and K-State changed the offense to utilize Howard’s pocket passing. Howard has been the primary QB for the Wildcats the last three games.
Offensively, Max Duggan & Co. will again be able to spring some big plays on the Wildcats as they did in the first meeting. TCU hasn’t had a negative turnover margin in a game this season, and if that trend continues it will be playoff-bound for sure by mid-afternoon Saturday.
The pick: TCU minus-2.5
Bet on Kansas State vs. TCU on SI Sportsbook
Kansas State and TCU Records and Trends
- Kansas State Straight Up Record: 9-3
- TCU Straight Up Record: 12-0
- Kansas State Against The Spread Record: 8-3-1
- TCU Against The Spread Record: 9-2-1
- Kansas State Over/Under Record: 6-6
- TCU Over/Under Record: 7-5
More Bets for the College Football Conference Championships:
Pat Forde is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who covers college football and college basketball as well as the Olympics and horse racing. He cohosts the College Football Enquirer podcast and is a football analyst on the Big Ten Network. He previously worked for Yahoo Sports, ESPN and The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. Forde has won 28 Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest awards, has been published three times in the Best American Sports Writing book series, and was nominated for the 1990 Pulitzer Prize. A past president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and member of the Football Writers Association of America, he lives in Louisville with his wife. They have three children, all of whom were collegiate swimmers.