Texas football vs. Houston: Prediction and odds Week 8

The first matchup after the bye week for No. 8 Texas football is on the road on Oct. 21 against the Houston Cougars and head coach Dana Holgorsen. Texas can begin the second half of the regular season on a high note if it comes up with a convincing win this weekend over Houston.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns come into Week 8 looking to rebound from a tough last-minute 34-30 loss to the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry game in Dallas on Oct. 7. Texas boasts a record of 5-1 (2-1 Big 12) after the loss to Oklahoma.

Houston is riding a high coming into Week 8 after a miraculous last-second 41-39 win at home on Oct. 13 over the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Cougars scored a touchdown on a last-second Hail’Mary from quarterback Donovan Smith to wide receiver Stephon Johnson Jr. to top Holgorsen’s old squad.

The miracle win for the Cougars over the Mountaineers handed Houston its first win in Big 12 play. Houston comes into the matchup against the Longhorns sporting a record of 3-3 (1-2 Big 12).

Here’s a look at the betting odds and game prediction as No. 8 Texas faces Houston on the road at TDECU Stadium on Oct. 21, with the kickoff time set for 3 p.m. CT.

Texas football vs. Houston: Odds for Week 8 2023

Texas is a 23.5-point favorite against Houston in this game, and the over/under is set at 61 points (per Caesers Sportsbook).

The spread has moved one point in Texas’ favor since the Longhorns opened as a 22.5-point favorite.

According to the ESPN matchup predictor, Texas has a 93.5 percent chance of beating Houston in Week 8.

Texas football vs. Houston prediction

Texas comes into the only matchup against Houston as Big 12 foes as a sizable favorite. The Longhorns have the decisive edge over the Cougars on paper at most positions. But this is a Houston offense that has produced at a high level in the last few weeks.

Houston has averaged 36 points per game and 473 total yards of offense in the last three games. It’s also noteworthy that the Cougars didn’t turn the ball over a single time in the last three weeks, which played a big role in the team’s success in two wins over West Virginia and the Sam Houston State Bearkats.

Where Texas has a big-time advantage in this game is the Longhorns offense vs. Houston’s defense. Houston ranks last in the Big 12 in points allowed per game (31.3) and total yards on defense (429.0).

This could be one of the highest-scoring affairs in the Big 12 for the Longhorns this fall. But Texas should have more than enough firepower on offense to get the job done. And look for this defense to have a big bounce-back effort against a dual-threat quarterback that exploited them on money downs last season when Smith led the Texas Tech Red Raiders to an upset overtime win over the Longhorns in Lubbock.

Final score prediction: Texas-48, Houston-24