The Abilene Christian Wildcats take on the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
TCU is favored by 36.5 points on the spread, and the total is set at 56.5 points.
Here’s my Abilene Christian vs. TCU predictions and college football picks for Saturday, September 13, 2025.
Abilene Christian vs TCU Prediction
- Abilene Christian vs. TCU Pick: TCU 1H -15.5
My TCU vs. Abilene Christian best bet is on TCU to cover the first half spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Abilene Christian vs TCU Odds
| Abilene Christian Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+36.5 -105 | 56.5 -110 / -110 | N/A |
| TCU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-36.5 -115 | 56.5 -110 / -110 | N/A |
- Abilene Christian vs TCU point spread: TCU -36.5
- Abilene Christian vs TCU over/under: 56.5 points
Abilene Christian vs TCU Preview
Abilene Christian Wildcats Betting Preview: Not Like Last Year's Team
Losing its starting quarterback and offensive play caller to the FBS was a big blow for Abilene Christian.
After taking Texas Tech to overtime (and scoring 50 in the process!) last year, ACU's offense struggled in the first two games of 2025, mustering just seven points against Tulsa in Week 1.
The run game has been bottled up and quarterback Stone Earle hasn't been able to offset the struggles to turn out a consistent offense.
The offensive line has struggled quite a bit for Abilene Christian. Earle has been pressured 17 times through two games and was sacked twice, but the unit can't generate much of a push up front, either. Guards Landon Roaten and Joziah Fogle are below FCS replacement-level players in the run game.
Against FBS offenses, Abilene Christian struggles defensively. Tulsa managed to rush for nearly 250 yards, though early on, it looked like the Wildcats would hold their own.
The following week against Stephen F. Austin, Abilene Christian completely shut the ground game down (50 total rushing yards, 1.6 yards per carry for the Lumberjacks).
This week, the competition increases tenfold against a power-conference team.
This is a far cry from last year's FCS Playoff participant. There's problems on both lines and the new offensive coordinator — Graham Harrell (of USC, Purdue, etc.) — hasn't been able to generate much with the pieces on the roster.
This is a more interesting team come conference play against FCS foes than it is against power conference ones.
TCU Horned Frogs Betting Preview: A Big 12 Contender?
TCU has something in Josh Hoover. The junior signal caller shined in his season debut at North Carolina, throwing for 284 yards and two scores in a 48-14 blowout of the Tar Heels.
Last year, Hoover threw for nearly 4,000 yards with 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Should he cut down on the picks, Hoover could be in legitimate consideration for the Heisman Trophy.
Running back Kevorian Barnes finished with 113 rushing yards on just 11 carries against UNC, but outside of a 75-yard touchdown scamper, Barnes finished with a lukewarm 10 carries for 38 yards.
What really stood out in the win was the Horned Frogs' defense. The unit forced UNC quarterback Gio Lopez into a nearly two-hour stretch without a completion and suffocated an overmatched Tar Heels offensive line.
TCU notched eight tackles for loss and a pair of sacks, forcing Bill Belichick to make a quarterback change midway through the second half.
The defense is led by safeties Jamel Johnson and Bud Clark, plus linebacker Namdi Obiazor. TCU's second level is as good as any you'll find in the Big 12 — and perhaps in the country. That kind of second level is critical to run a successful 4-2-5 defense.
It's early, but if there's a short race for the Big 12, TCU is absolutely among the contenders.
Abilene Christian vs TCU Pick, Betting Analysis
Despite these campuses sitting just two hours from each others, TCU and Abilene Christian haven't met on the gridiron since 1930.
When betting huge favorites in these power conference vs. FCS games, be cautious laying full-game spreads. TCU's second line is likely to play by the turn of the half and the third- and fourth-stringers will almost certainly see time.
However, with just one game under their belts, the Horned Frogs likely want to keep starters in for the first half.
It's far from a stretch to suggest the talent gap between TCU and ACU is significant. The Horned Frogs roster a very real quarterback and a disruptive defense that just crushed a fellow Power 4 team. Now returning to Amon G. Carter Stadium, expect the stop unit to again flex its muscles.
There's a few trends I also air caution with.
First, ACU has a decent track record against FBS foes, going 4-1 against the spread in its last five meetings (since 2023). That run came under now-Western Kentucky quarterback Maverick McIvor and last year's valiant effort included offensive coordinator Rick Bowie.
This is a very different roster and coaching staff than what produced that 4-0 ATS stretch.
The second is a 1-3-1 ATS run by TCU against FCS foes. 36.5 points is the lowest TCU-versus-FCS spread in that stretch, one that dates back to 2019. The Frogs didn't close a game at fewer than 36 points in that stretch.
But rather than risk that full-game backdoor cover, I'm laying the points with TCU in the first half.
Pick: TCU -15.5 1H
