Texas football opens as three-score favorite vs. BYU

After barely escaping the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium on the road on Oct. 21, head coach Steve Sarkisian and No. 7 Texas football turn their attention to the next test on tap in Week 9. Texas looks to heal up and get right before its Week 9 contest at home at DKR in Austin against the BYU Cougars.

The Longhorns were fortunate to leave Houston with a win this weekend. Texas got the win over head coach Dana Holgorsen and Houston in Week 8 by a score of 31-24. True freshman running back CJ Baxter Jr. scored the game-winning touchdown on a 16-yard run late in the fourth quarter. Texas’ defense then held up backed up to their own end zone to seal the seven-point win over Houston.

Texas and BYU come into their Week 9 matchup after earning wins this weekend. The Longhorns one-score win over Houston on Oct. 21 moved its record on the season to 6-1 (3-1 Big 12). BYU, meanwhile, comes in with a record of 5-2 (2-2 Big 12) following a win over a depleted Texas Tech Red Raiders squad in Provo on Oct. 21.

This will be a critical matchup as the Longhorns control their destiny in the Big 12 down the stretch during the regular season. BYU isn’t a great offensive team, but their defense has looked good at times this season.

And given the recent injury bug biting the Longhorns in the last couple of games (namely with QB Quinn Ewers potentially missing some time with a shoulder injury), this matchup against BYU is a big one.

Here’s a look at the opening betting odds as No. 7 Texas gets set to host BYU for the first and only time as Big 12 foes at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin on Oct. 28, with the kickoff time set for 2:30 p.m. CT.

Texas football vs. BYU: Opening odds for Week 9

Texas opens as a 17.5-point favorite over BYU in Week 9 (per Caesars Sportsbook). The over/under opens up at 51.5 points.

According to the ESPN matchup predictor, Texas has a 94.9 percent chance of beating BYU.

Texas is 3-4-0 against the spread this season. But the Longhorns haven’t covered the spread in the last two games against Houston and the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry game on Oct. 7. Texas fell way short of covering the 23.5-point spread pre-game against Houston this weekend.

BYU is also 3-4-0 against the spread this season. The Cougars easily covered the +3.0 spread pre-game against Texas Tech this weekend.