The Baylor Bears host the TCU Horned Frogs in Waco on Saturday night. Both teams head into this game following a bye week, which can always have a big impact on the way teams perform. The Bears are off to a 2-0 start to their conference season with wins over Colorado and Arizona State, the latter of which was a blowout on the road. TCU is 0-2, dropping games at UCF and at home to BYU in heavy rain. The Horned Frogs have not looked good at all this season, and they are still searching for an identity. These two teams have played some epic games in recent years, but right now, Baylor should be the better of these squads. I’ll take Baylor to cover.
The biggest issue for the Frogs is that they want their identity to be with their running game, but they have not been effective at it yet. Their line seems like a liability, and they keep having to run a lot of stretch plays that go nowhere. Baylor, notably, allows fewer than 100 yards per game on the ground -- and that seems like a problem for TCU. Baylor, on the other hand, has shown a lot of growth on offense as DJ Lagway has gotten healthy and comfortable. This team still runs the ball well, but defenses cannot simply jam the run because Lagway can absolutely beat you over the top. The Bears' attack is multiple right now, and that should have them in good shape at home against a struggling opponent.
TCU vs Baylor prediction: Baylor -6 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -6.5.
