TCU seeks upset of Arizona State in Friday night Big 12 clash

No. 24 TCU will travel to Tempe on Friday night for a marquee Big 12 showdown with Arizona State. The Horned Frogs are 3-0 this season after a win over SMU that vaulted them into the Top 25 for the first time since the 2023 preseason poll. Arizona State sits at 3-1 and has drawn steady betting attention ahead of this weekend's game.

Markets list ASU as a 2.5-point favorite over TCU in many outlets, a price that suggests a coin-flip game on a neutral field. TCU is pegged as the third-favorite to win the Big 12 behind Texas Tech and ASU, with Tech at roughly +220 and ASU around +500 in contemporary odds. The matchup will feature two contrasting quarterback narratives: Sam Leavitt for ASU, who sparked a College Football Playoff run in 2024, and Josh Hoover for TCU, who has carried the Frogs' attack this season.

Hoover has thrown for about 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns through three games this season after a breakout 2024 campaign in which he threw for 3,949 yards and 27 touchdowns. Arizona State's Leavitt, though still dangerous, has not matched last season's standard through the early portion of 2025, making this likely one of the season's top quarterback duels. Arizona State's offense can explode, but the Sun Devils have been pedestrian against the pass, which will put pressure on Leavitt to keep pace with Hoover and the TCU attack.

Leavitt's counterpart at TCU for the 2025 season is headlined by Hoover; The betting piece notes that Hoover is 15/1 to win the Heisman at BetMGM, rating him as the sixth-favorite. Given his 2024 numbers and early-season efficiency, he is a focal point of the Frogs' game plan. The matchup of Hoover's efficient passing against ASU's pass defense will be a key storyline as the game unfolds in Tempe.

ASU's offense has the capability to light up the scoreboard, but the Sun Devils have shown vulnerability through the air, a factor that could give TCU opportunities to strike early. The Play: TCU (+126) on FanDuel.