The first full week of college football always introduces us to a host of new players and coaches, and Saturday’s matchup between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Baylor Bears is no different.
Gone from Waco is head coach Matt Rhule, who quickly darted off to the NFL to take over the Carolina Panthers. In his place steps Dave Arana, fresh off winning a national championship while guiding the defense at LSU.
While the changes aren’t perhaps as drastic at Louisiana Tech—Skip Holtz is still running the show—college football bettors know the Bulldogs will be missing much of the talent that led them to a 10-win season in 2019.
Let’s break down the NCAA football odds with our best college football picks and predictions for Louisiana Tech vs. Baylor on Saturday, September 12, at McLane Stadium in Waco. Kickoff is set for 12:00 pm ET.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs Baylor Bears betting preview
Weather
It will be warm in Waco on Saturday, but thankfully for the players, not “Texas hot.” A high of 81 is expected at kickoff, with light winds out of the north. There’s also a 24 percent chance of showers. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.
Injuries
Louisiana Tech: Jerrod Means WR (Out)
Baylor: Xavier Newman-Johnson OL (Out)
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
Bears are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. Get the latest NCAA football betting trends for Louisiana Tech vs. Baylor.
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer returns to lead a Bears team that went 11-3 last season and gave Oklahoma a serious run in the Big 12 Championship game. The senior threw for 21 touchdowns in 2019 but took a lot of punishment in the process. A simple Google search of his name also returns a simple question: “Is Charlie Brewer ok?”
Yikes.
The Bears return four of their starting offensive linemen, which means increased experience, but also the same talent that allowed Brewer to be treated like a human rag doll during the latter half of season. I want Brewer to live to see 2021, a fine goal for the Baylor O-line as well.
The Bulldogs won 10 games last season for the first time since 1984. And what was one of the hit songs from the best year in music history? “Smooth Operator” by Sade. That phrase would certainly describe Louisiana Tech quarterback J’Mar Smith, who accounted for 22 total touchdowns last year. The Bulldogs will struggle to replace him, and they’ll go with either Aaron Allen and Westin Elliott.
When you still don’t know your starting quarterback less than a week before game time, its spells trouble. The Bulldogs are 0-11 in their last 11 against the Big 12.
PREDICTION: Baylor -18 (-112)
Over/Under Pick
Aranda certainly knows how to coach defense, but it’s going to take some time before he puts this group together. The Bears lost nine of 11 starters on that side of the football, though Arkansas State transfer William Bradley-King adds an immediate boost to the defensive line.
Louisiana Tech picked a bad time to lose four impact starters from its secondary. Standout corner Amik Robertson was drafted in the fourth round by the Raiders, and safety L’Jarius Sneed was selected in the fourth round by the Chiefs. That could mean a big day for Brewer--provided the Bears offensive line allows him to continue standing upright by the second half.
Most of the trends point to the Under, but the Over is 4-0 in Louisiana Tech’s last four games against the Big 12. The Bulldogs struggle in spots against significantly better opponents.
PREDICTION: Over 54.5 (-115)
Team prop pick
As much as I’ve given the Baylor offensive line a hard time for not doing a better job of protecting Brewer, I’m a huge fan of the Bears quarterback. He’s tough as hell and knows how to win. The Bears have enough skill players on offense to score a ton of points against a depleted Bulldogs secondary.
PREDICTION: Baylor total points Over 36.5 (-110)
Louisiana Tech vs Baylor betting card
- Baylor -18 (-112)
- Over 54.5 (-115)
- Baylor total points Over 36.5 (-110)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NCAA Louisiana Tech vs. Baylor picks, you could win $57.56 on a $10 bet?
Use our NCAA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on college football?
You can bet on college football odds at every online and casino sportsbooks, including NCAA football point spreads, Over/Under totals, derivative bets and even prop plays as well. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on college football odds in your area.
