Texas Tech vs. Utah Game Preview: Prediction, Odds, Betting Preview

The college football game of the week is in Salt Lake City this weekend. Despite the mid-September date, two of the top teams in the Big 12 will play a game that will shape the entire rest of the conference season. 

Texas Tech and Utah weren’t clear favorites when the season started. The Big 12 odds were a flattened mess, and the market believed practically anyone could win the conference. 

But as the Big 12 has played through the opening few weeks, two teams have drifted toward the top of the table. They are, of course, the Utes and Red Raiders.

Whoever wins Saturday’s Salt Lake showdown will be considered the conference favorite for weeks to come.

Texas Tech vs. Utah Odds

• Point Spread: Utah -3 
• Moneyline: Utah -155  |  Texas Tech +125
• Over/Under: 57.5

Texas Tech vs. Utah Preview

As we enter Week 4, the No. 1 thing to know about Texas Tech and Utah is that neither of these teams has played anyone of consequence yet this season.

Utah announced its return to form in Week 1 with a road bludgeoning of UCLA at the Rose Bowl. But the Bruins are so bad that they’ve already fired their coach. Other blowouts against FCS Cal Poly and Wyoming don’t tell us much.

Texas Tech’s resistance has been even lighter, racking up gaudy stats against FCS Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kent State, and Oregon State. 

Those three opponents are a combined 2-7, with one win against a Division II team and one win against a team transitioning from Division II to FCS. Yikes.

So whatever we think of these two schools, it is almost entirely predicated on preseason potential and unchallenged optimism. 

In the absence of any real clarifying information, is it any shock that the market has mostly settled on the home team as a three-point favorite?

I go back to this. The thing I trust most in this game is that Kyle Whittingham and Utah are going to win the line of scrimmage. 

Texas Tech has assembled a strong defensive line, and so the Red Raiders are going to generate a lot of pressure this year. That said, we haven’t seen that line tested against anyone of consequence, and Utah wants to run the ball (or otherwise break the pocket) anyway. That should favor the Utes.

Let’s also mention this – Texas Tech is 0-6 straight up and against the spread in its last six road openers. 

Texas Tech vs. Utah Prediction

I am predicting a win and cover for Utah. 

This will be an awesome, physical game of football. Skill at the line of scrimmage will be on full display. That’s why I’m trusting the team that historically excels at trench play.

Texas Tech vs. Utah Pick: Utah -3