The first round of the College Football Playoffs was a letdown, as the matchups could have been far more competitive if the teams had been better balanced. Arizona State, ranked 12th, was given a first-round bye despite having a much weaker schedule than Texas, ranked third. This mismatch set the stage for an expected dominance by the higher-ranked teams, and Texas should easily overpower Arizona State in their upcoming game.
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College football 2024: 68-60-3 (+0.96 Units)
College Football Playoffs Round One results: 3-1 (+1.91 Units)
#3 Texas vs #12 Arizona State Odds
Will Texas’ run game outshine Arizona State’s?
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on College Football games.
Spread:
Texas: -12.5 (-107)
Arizona State: +12.5 (-113)
Total
Over: 51 (-110)
Under: 51 (-110)
Moneyline
Texas: -500
Arizona State: +395
#3 Texas vs #12 Arizona State Bet
It is truly unfortunate that the first round of the College Football Playoffs could have been much better if two teams had switched spots. Those two teams being Arizona State and Boise State. If the Sun Devils had played Clemson and Boise State had played SMU, the playing field would not have started off on such a disappointing note. Of course, the powerhouses dominated. They will continue to do so until all of the weaker teams are eliminated. Arizona State did not deserve a first-round bye. “But the rules, but the rules.” I hear you, but it does not make any sense for a 12th-ranked team to be in a better position than the third-ranked team.
Who has ASU Played?
The best team the Sun Devils played this season was BYU. The best team Texas played was Georgia, a team that had to endure the toughest schedule in college football this season. Arizona State lost to Cincinnati and Texas Tech. Texas lost to Georgia twice. These two teams are on completely different levels in terms of strength of schedule and overall talent. Does this mean Arizona State does not have a chance at beating Texas? Of course not; it is sports, and anything can happen. However, that should not happen.
Who has the Better Run Game?
Texas has been very impressive over the last couple of weeks on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they have held teams under 25 points in seven straight games, dating back to their first loss of the season against Georgia, 30-15. Their offense has finally been able to open up their run game, rushing for over 180 yards in their last three games. Against Clemson, they completely opened up their run game, rushing for almost 300 yards. The holes their offensive line created against Clemson were pure poetry. If you enjoy a good ground attack, go watch their highlights against Clemson.
This high-powered offense now gets to take on a defense that is allowing almost 130 yards on the ground away from home and 215 yards through the air this season. Again, this is a defense that played four ranked opponents, all in the Big 12 Conference. Numbers may be inflated due to weaker opponents. The combined conference record of those four teams was 21-15. Two of those four teams finished with four or more losses. This was a bad year for the Big 12.
The Sun Devils are known for their run game with star running back Cam Skattebo, who rushed for over 1,500 yards this season. They now face a Longhorns defense that held Clemson to under 80 yards on the ground in the first round. Away from home this season, Texas has allowed just over 100 yards per game on the ground. If the Sun Devils’ ground attack is shut down, the passing game will have to contend with the number two pass defense in the country. The Longhorns have allowed under 160 yards through the air this season.
The Play
All in all, Texas should be far too much for Arizona State to handle. Some may think 12.5 points is too much for a playoff game. I think it is not enough. Personally, I am holding a Texas (-13.5) ticket. The Longhorns should cruise past the Sun Devils by more than two touchdowns.
Bet: Texas (-12.5) on BetOnline
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