Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs TCU Horned Frogs Point Spread Picks

Louisiana Tech stepped up one other time this season and got steamrolled by BYU, a 45-14 loss. Now they step up again and the Bulldogs are 3-8 ATS versus the Big 12. The defense is poor, surrendering 416.4 yards, 32.1 points per game, including 166 yards rushing, 250.4 yards passing. TCU can cement a winning season in this final and this is the first time all season they've stepped down in competition. TCU rolled over Kansas (59-23) two games ago, and comes off a 29-22 win at home against then-No. 15 Oklahoma State rolling up 501 yards of offense. TCU is 21-8 ATS at home after having won three out of four games, plus 19-8 ATS at home off of two straight wins against conference rivals. Take TCU.

The Horned Frogs may consider this Bowl a disappointment. TCU has played in big Bowls the last three years and with a 10-2 record. They were just two regulation points from being unbeaten this season and now find themselves slighted by the Bowl selection committee. Just a season-opening loss to Baylor and their Heisman Trophy winning QB, and an overtime loss to SMU prevented perfection. It will be hard for them to find a whole lot to look forward to and get motivated here. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech has been an under-the-radar team after a slow start and should be relatively excited to be here. The Bulldogs finished 7-0 as well as 7-0 ATS, taking the money in each of their last seven games, three of them as an underdog. They have also been a perfect 7-0 ATS this season as a dog, beating the line by 13 points per game in those games on average. One of the losses was by a single point to a Houston team that nearly ran the table, and they took Mississippi State to overtime as well. The Bulldogs are now 13-3 ATS vs. teams with a winning record, while the Horned Frogs are 0-6 ATS in their last six outside the conference. Play the more motivated under-the-radar team.