College Football Odds: Texas Tech at Houston

The last time the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Houston Cougars met was 1995. (Wikimedia Image)"]

Bodog's total for football betting on Saturday's Texas Tech-Houston game is at 74 and I assure you that it will be at least that -- if not more.

For sure the No. 17 Cougars should have the advantage this week, as they were off last week preparing for the Red Raiders, while TTU had a prime-time fight (and loss) with Texas to deal with. Yet this game is currently listed as a pick'em on Bodog.

It will be interesting to see if the two teams combine for even 20 rushing attempts. Texas Tech's Taylor Potts is No. 1 in passing yards per game, and Houston's Case Keenum is No. 3. But the Cougars are No. 1 in the nation in scoring, while TTU is 19th. The teams average a combined 89 points, 103 passing attempts and 998 yards per game.

However, don't totally overlook both defenses.

Houston is allowing 21.0 points and 348.5 yards per game, compared to 30.8 and 413.5 last season. And while the Cougars' opening 55-7 win over Northwestern State doesn't say much, UH held Oklahoma State to just seven first-half points in the upset two weeks ago. Houston also is allowing just 173 passing yards per game, first in Conference USA.

Texas Tech ranks 22nd nationally and is fourth in the Big 12 in total defense. The Red Raiders are yielding just 268 yards per game and haven't allowed an offensive touchdown in the first half yet this year. They held Colt McCoy to just 202 yards passing last week and had two picks.

When doing your football betting at Bodog, you might want to base your wager on which ground game is the best on Saturday night. Frankly, that could be the difference here, since most everything else seems nearly equal. Texas Tech rushed for minus-6 yards last week, a big reason it couldn't pull the upset of the Longhorns, and has just 86 yards on the ground all season. Houston, meanwhile, rushed for 146 yards in the upset of Oklahoma State.

Houston has lost five straight in this series, but it's not really relevant considering the schools haven't met since 1995.

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