According to FanDuel.com, the current spread heading into tonight's matchup between Texas and Kentucky is Texas -13.5. This is pretty interesting as the spread has moved a couple of times since 10/12, in both directions.
The spread has seemingly been fluctuating between Texas -12.5 and -13.5 over the past week, which means that a lot of bettors have been putting money on both sides of the spread. The recent bettors could even be considered "sharp" bettors, as college football is a little different in the aspect of betting early vs. betting late in comparison to the NFL.
Vegas does everything it can to make sure that there's even money on both sides of the matchup, which is why the spread number moves in a betting line. If the public would bet Texas -12.5, then the line would shift out to Texas -13 or -13.5 to encourage bettors to place money on the Kentucky side because +13 or +13.5 is a better number for the Wildcats.
This game has been very fluid in the betting market this week, and it's easy to see why. The Longhorns looked excellent against the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry so it's plausible to think that they'll look even better against a "worse" Kentucky team.
Let's dive into some game predictions from around the college football world:
Sporting News
"Texas flipped the script with Arch Manning last week. The Wildcats are coming off a bye,, and quarterbacks Zach Calzada and Cutter Boley have four TDs and four interceptions this season. The Longhorns' defense should be able to contain those threats, and Kentucky ranks 14th in the SEC in pass defense. Manning continues on the right path on the road."
Score prediction: Texas 29, Kentucky 16
Bookies.com
"The ESPN-Arch Manning Love Fest hits ludicrous speed this week as the No. 21 Longhorns (4-2 SU, 2-4 ATS, 1-1 SEC) run wild at Kroger Field."
Score prediction: Texas to cover -13.5 spread
Fox Sports
"In their last game, the Longhorns won against the Oklahoma Sooners, 23-6. Last time around, the Wildcats fell to the Georgia Bulldogs, with 35-14 being the final score."
Score prediction: Texas 27, Kentucky 19