Let’s see which team is the one who takes the win on this Longhorns at Bears betting preview.
The Texas Longhorns will travel to McLane Stadium on Saturday afternoon to take on the 16th-ranked Baylor Bears in a Big 12 Conference matchup. This season, the Longhorns are sitting at 4-3 (2-2) and are coming off a 32-34 home loss against the 12th-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys. Junior quarterback Casey Thompson struggled a bit as he went 15-of-27 for 179 yards with a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. The Bears are 6-1 (3-1) and are coming off a 38-24 home loss against the BYU Cougars. Junior Gerry Bohanon had a decent game as he went 18-of-28 for 231 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Ground and Pound
The Texas Longhorns have been doing well on the ground as sophomore running back Bijan Robinson has been a force. So far this season, he has 146 rushes for 924 yards (6.3 yards per carrying) with ten touchdowns and 14 receptions for 207 yards (14.8 yards per catch) with three receiving touchdowns. In his last game against the Cowboys, he finished with 21 carries for 135 yards (6.4 yards per rush) with a pair of rushing touchdowns and three receptions for 38 yards (12.7 yards per catch) with an additional touchdown.
The Texas Longhorns have been struggling a bit defensively as they are giving up 29.6 points per game. In their last game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, they allowed 32 points on 398 total yards of offense (178 passing, 220 rushings). The Longhorns did well as they forced the Cowboys to go 6-of-18 on third down. If they can step up, they will be in a good position here.
Thornton Stepping Up
The Baylor Bears love to pass the ball, and they do it well with senior wide receiver Tyquan Thornton getting targets. So far this season, he has 32 receptions for 547 yards (17.1 yards per catch) with five touchdowns. The last game against the BYU Cougars was excellent as Thornton finished with four catches for 84 yards (16.8 yards per reception). If they can get Thornton the ball here, it will do wonders for the offense.
The Baylor Bears have been doing exceptionally well on the defensive side of the football as they are allowing 18.7 points per game. In their last game against the BYU Cougars, they gave up 24 points on 409 total yards of offense (342 passing, 67 rushings). The Cougars struggled to convert as they went 5-of-14 on third down attempts but converted both of their fourth-down attempts. They need to step up and defend the pass better, though, as the Bears allowed 11.0 yards per pass throughout the game. If Baylor can sure up their defense, they will be in a great spot to win at home.
Where to Bet
This game is expected to be a close matchup, but there is a reason why Baylor is a ranked program while Texas is not. Robinson should run the ball well, but the defense is the biggest difference as the Bears allow 18.7 points while the Longhorns give up 29.6 points each game. Bohanon should not turn the ball over, and that will do wonders. The Longhorns are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games against the Bears. All in all, go with the Baylor Bears to cover the spread here and win by at least a field goal.
If you want to know more about these NCAAF teams stats and previews like this Texas Longhorns at Baylor Bears betting preview keep up on Insiders Betting Digest.