Will the move to the ACC reawaken Stanford football? A season full of coast-to-coast road trips will determine that. For the time being, the depth of the Cardinal’s slumber is evident in the fact that visiting TCU is a 9-point favorite for the teams’ season opener in northern California on
Friday night.

And this isn’t the Horned Frogs who went to the national championship game, which came at the end of the 2022 campaign. These Frogs are coming off a 5-7 record, and covered the spread three times in final eight games a year ago. Yet they remain a clear road favorite over a Stanford team coming off its third consecutive 3-9 season, and which covered just three of its final 11 games in 2023.

TCU vs stanford tech Odds

Matchup Page: TCU Horned Frogs Vs Stanford Cardinal, 10:30 pm ET

Odds as of August 27

TCU Vs stanford Picks – Week 1

While Stanford last year recorded one of the season’s most memorable comebacks—rallying from 29-0 down at Colorado as 13-point underdogs—this was a team with one of the nation’s worst defenses. The Cardinal gave up 462 yards per game and suffered five losses by 33 or more points. Any hope of hanging with TCU hinges on an improved D, and toward that end Stanford added key transfers in tackle Clay Patterson from BYU and linebacker Jasiah Galvan from Northern Iowa.

TCU suffered four losses last season by a touchdown or less, showing how close it was to a very different campaign in Fort Worth. While 1,200-yard rusher Emani Bailey is off to the NFL, Josh Hoover returns behind center after passing for 15 scores and running for two more last year, and Savion Williams remains a standout receiver. The questions for the Frogs are on defense, where coach Sonny Dykes made a change in coordinator after the 2023 campaign. And yet, the Frogs still averaged 31 points and were in almost every game. Stanford has a ton of players returning, but still—those guys were awful last year.

This is Year 2 for Cardinal coach Troy Taylor, and the personnel hasn’t yet been elevated to a level that would make us comfortable taking Stanford against a very capable major-conference opponent, even at home.

TCU vs Stanford Week 1 Pick: TCU -9.0 (-110)

Despite allowing bushels of points, Stanford went OVER the total just five times last season thanks to an offense that squeezed out 20 points per game. Lots of those same players return for the Cardinal, though their best—tight end Benjamin Yurosek—bolted to Georgia. TCU went OVER just four times in 2023, largely due to turnovers. This one feels like a grinder in which the Frogs pull away in the end.

TCU vs Stanford Week 1 Pick: UNDER 61.5

TCU Vs stanford news

Cam Cook, the heir apparent to Bailey at running back for TCU, was limited late in fall camp due to a hamstring issue, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Dykes expected Cook, who carried the ball just 16 times last season, to be ready for the opener. The news was worse on starting cornerback Avery Helm, who according to reports is out indefinitely with an apparent knee injury.

TCU Vs stanford Betting Trends

College basketball hit the halfway point of its regular season this week, meaning there are still lots of games to go—not to mention tournament play, as teams bid to reach March Madness and ultimately the Final Four. But if sportsbook odds are any indication, the national Player of the Year race has already become a foregone conclusion.

2023-24 Wooden Awards Odds

Purdue center Zach Edey, bidding to become the first back-to-back recipient of the John R. Wooden Award since Ralph Sampson in the early 1980s, is now such a favorite that he’s become a negative moneyline play at most sportsbooks. Odds of Edey repeating as Wooden Award winner are now around -300, which means a sports bettor would have to wager $300 to earn $100 in winnings should Edey claim the honor for a second consecutive year.

Edey, who entered this week averaging 22.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, has gradually tightened his grip on the Player of the Year award as the season has gone on. The Purdue big man opened at odds of around +155. After leading the Boilermakers to the title in the toughest Maui Invitational field ever, those odds moved to +130. Now they’re in negative territory, well ahead of those of No. 2 odds choice Hunter Dickinson of Kansas, who can be found at +600 to +1000, depending on the sportsbook.

Even though the top-ranked Boilermakers suffered their second loss of the season Tuesday night at Nebraska, Edey has scored in double-figures every game this season and has posted nine double-doubles, tied for sixth nationally. He ranks eighth nationally in scoring, 11th nationally in rebounding, and 15th nationally in field goal percentage. While he was held to just two points in the first half against the Cornhuskers, he hasn’t really had a bad game.

And the winning has certainly helped Edey cement himself as Player of the Year odds frontrunner. Now, could that change? Purdue has tough road games at Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio State coming up in the back half of its Big 10 schedule. It would likely take some upset losses, and some of those opponents shutting Edey down—which to this point, hasn’t really happened—for the likes of Dickinson or Duke center Kyle Filipowski to close what’s currently a sizable gap.

The Favorite: Zach Edey, Purdue

Edey has played at a consistently high level against a schedule that to this point ranks as the second-toughest in the nation, according to the analytical site KenPom.com. But conference play is a different animal—opponents are more familiar, and games are more physical—and that contrast has perhaps been evident in Edey, who had totaled 10 points and 15 boards, and then 15 points and seven boards in back-to-back Big 10 games through Tuesday. 

Those are very good numbers, to be certain, but not quite the 28 and 15 he was putting up with regularity back in November and December. The conference grind takes a toll on everybody, and Edey’s hold on Player of the Year frontrunner odds may hinge on whether he can maintain a form that produced double-doubles in 11 of his final 14 games last season.

The Challenger

Who might challenge Edey in becoming this year’s college basketball player of the year?

Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Kansas has one of the worst cover rates of any team in the Top 25, continuing to win games that are closer than they should be. But that’s not the fault of Dickinson, a Michigan transfer who’s thrived in Bill Self’s offense, where he’s surrounded by great supportive players who can take the pressure off the big man in the middle. Dickinson hit for 30 points and 11 boards in a close win last weekend over TCU, emblematic of the type of contribution he’s making night in and night out.

Dickinson entered the week with averages of 19.4 points and 12.4 rebounds, and double-doubles in seven of his last nine games. He plays well in transition, shoots well from the outside, and can be unstoppable when he gets the ball down low. Dickinson plays in a deeper league than Edeydoes, and has more marquee games against ranked opponents still ahead of him. It will take more 30/11 nights against the likes of Baylor and Houston to make this Player of the Year race more interesting than it is now.

The Dark Horse

If you’re looking at making a big splash on the oddsboard, maybe consider this UConn Guard.

Armando Bacot, North Carolina

Guard R.J. Davis may lead North Carolina in scoring, but it’s big man Bacot who makes the Tar Heels go. The 6-11, 240-pound Bacot has proven an impossible matchup in the ACC, where he’s able to overpower interior defenders and get high-quality shots. In his previous two games entering the week, Bacot had not only notched double-doubles, but also shot 50 percent or better from the field. His averages—14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds—don’t accurately speak to how valuable he is.

But for Bacot to truly wedge his way into the Player of the Year conversation, he’s going to need more of the 25-point games he’s had just once so far this season. With Davis hitting for 20.6 per game, there’s not really the need for that yet in a weak ACC. But this is a thin Tar Heels roster, and UNC is winning largely behind a two-man game. The idea that Bacot could catch fire like he did at the end of the 2021-22 campaign—when his eight straight double-doubles led the Tar Heels to the national title game—isn’t out of the question.

Last 10 Best College Basketball Players Of The Year

Jalen Brunson, the player of the year from 2018, is having a standout year for the Knicks. In his first season with the Knickerbockers after signing on as a free agent, the former Villanova Wildcat is averaging 23.9 points, 6.2 assists and 3.6 rebounds and has pushed the Knicks into a playoff spot. The Knicks! 

If Brunson’s impact continues, New York could see the playoffs for just the second time in the last 10 seasons. 

How To Read Naismith And Wooden Player Of The Year Odds

If this is your first time betting on NCAA College Basketball Player of the Year odds and you aren’t sure about the difference between the Wooden Award and the Naismith Award, don’t sweat it.

They’re essentially the same individual award but the voting structures are slightly different. The Wooden Award is determined before the NCAA March Madness tournament and voted on by over 1,000 sportswriters across the country, while the Naismith Award is finalized by a board of selectors along with fan voting and is announced in April.

Understanding College Basketball Player Of The Year Odds

At your college basketball sportsbook of choice, you’ll see prop odds to win College Player of the Year listed like so:

Zach Edey -150

Jalen Wilson +500

Brandon Miller +600

When there is no clear favorite due to the lack of a minus sign (-), the player with the lowest odds is the fave. In this case, though, there is a minus-money favorite in Edey. The others are considered underdogs.

If you’re loving Edey at -150 and you bet $100 on him, you’d get a payout of $166.67 – your original money is returned coupled with your winnings of $66.67. To see what you’d win based on the odds and the amount you bet, check out our odds calculator.

2023 NFL Defensive Player Of The Year Odds

Myles Garrett is quietly beasting his way through this season. In 14 games he’s forced four fumbles, earned 13 sacks, and racked up 27 solo tackles. He’s right there with Micah Parsons, and has a few games to overtake him, too.

I know this is an individual award, too. But, Garrett should get a bump in his DPoY chances as the Cleveland defense leads the league in yards against. The Browns allow just 261 yards per game against, 25 fewer than any other squad.

Best Bet: Myles Garrett (+155)

Last 10 Defensive Player of the Year Winners 

*now the Las Vegas Raiders.

Our previous 10 DPOY winners have a few familiar faces… Donald and T.J. Watt make up 50% of this list! With Watt’s retirement in 2022, Donald can cement himself in legend as the first player to win the award four times.

These two players emphasize what goes into the award’s decision – an ongoing effort to be the best at their position and single-handedly derail games with a timely sack or stripped ball.

The AFC and NFC both contribute five players to this list, an even split of defensive excellence across the league.
 

Players that have won multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards

Where only two running backs have won 3 awards for Offensive Player of the Year, the DPOY award boasts three stalwart defenders in Donald, Watt, and Taylor. All three of these players earned the award in back-to-back seasons.

For all their accolades, none of these players brought their team to a Super Bowl in the same year they won DPOY.
 

NFL Teams with the Most Defensive Player of the Year awards

The Steelers don’t even make this close – their long-standing reputation as defensive juggernauts is well-earned, doubling the Ravens and Giants’ collection of DPOY award winners.

As of now, the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders remain without a single honouree for this award.
 

Schools that produced the most Defensive Player of the Year Winners

In the high-scoring environment of NCAA Football, colleges cherish their defensive playmakers. These schools helped multiple future NFL DPOY winners hone their skills and head into the league with the skill and confidence to shut down an offence.

Regarding conferences, the ACC boasts the most DPOY winners at 15, while the SEC trails behind with 4. Next time you want to wager on a futures bet, pay attention to the alma mater – the historical trend looks appealing here.

Defensive Player of the Year Betting Trends and Notes

Over time, we’ve begun to identify a few similarities between DPOY winners. These findings can help you analyze the current odds and predict next year’s winner. Although there isn’t an exact formula for what constitutes an award-winning season, here are a few helpful tidbits and fun facts to help you make a bet.

Euro 2024 will be held in Germany from June 14 to July 14, 2024. We’re in the early stages of qualifications with no more than two games being played per side.

In total 24 will participate in the tournament, and 23 of those sides will come through the qualification process. As hosts, Germany automatically qualifies. 

We’re a year out from one of soccer’s most important tournaments – and with lots of qualifying matches left to play – but let’s take an early look at the odds board and who’s favored to win.

Odds to Win 2024 Euro

Odds as of June 13

Why Is France Favored to Win Euro 2024?

On an international level, the French are the second-best side. Les Bleus were runners-up at the 2022 World Cup. On that World Cup journey in Qatar, France took out some strong European opponents.

They bested Denmark 2-1 in the group stage (the Danish hold the ninth-best Euro odds), Poland in the Round of 16 by a score of 3-1 (Poland is at +5000 for Euro 2024) and then France dispatched the English 2-1 in the Quarter-Finals (England is third on Euro odds board).

Through the short qualification period, France is 2-0-0 with a +5 goal differential while keeping two clean sheets with wins over Ireland and the Netherlands. 

Star power is another big factor to consider, and the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge have the biggest star of them all in Kylian Mbappe. The PSG forward has no flaws in his game and dominates at every level. 

🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappe has only played in two World Cups in his illustrious career:

✅ 2018 World Cup:
👕 7 games
⚽️ 4 goals
🏆 Champions
🏅 Best YP

✅ 2022 World Cup:
👕 7 games
⚽️ 8 goals
🎯 2 assists
🥈 Runners-up
🥇 Golden Boot

Incredible. 👏🏽🔥 pic.twitter.com/SoBokcdQRU

— Sholy Nation Sports (@Sholynationsp) June 6, 2023

In Qatar, Mbappe scored the most goals (8), lead the tournament in goal-creating actions with 11 (five more than the next best-player) and was third for goal-creating actions per 90 (1.74). When it comes to unlocking a game there’s no better player in Europe or even the world than Mbappe.

Euro 2024 Value 

France enters the tournament as slight favorites, what sides have greater value and have a chance to win instead of the favorites?

Germany

The hosts are just behind France on the oddsboard at +550. Because of their host status, we don’t have any sense of the form their in. They haven’t played any games because they don’t need to qualify.

If not for a shock 2-1 loss to Japan in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, Germany would have likely gone much further. They bounced back from that defeat to the Blue Samurai with a 1-1 draw with a strong Spanish side before dismantling Costa Rica 4-2 to close out their tournament. 

The Germans will hope that youngster Jamal Musiala builds off a strong World Cup where he was credited with 7.67 shot-creating actions per 90 and an even better 22-23 Bundesliga campaign where he scored 12 goals and had ten assists for Bayern in his 19-year-old season. The kid is only going to get much better.

England

The English are the top-ranked side in Group C of Euro qualifiers with wins over Ukraine (2-0) and Italy (2-1).

Gareth Southgate’s side is winning games they should (against Ukraine) and those where they’re second best (vs Italy). Against the Azzurri, England only had 42% of the possession and 42% of the shots, they even went down a man in the 80th minute thanks to a Luke Shaw red card and still won 2-1. 

With Southgate’s contract over in December of 2024, this will likely be his final major tournament. His sides have come close to glory a few times but never won a title. Sadly for the three lions, their returns have been diminishing for the last few years.

2024 Euro Dark horse

Every Euro tournament has its dark horse. A team comes out of nowhere and makes a deep run and upsets the landscape. 

In 2020, that was the Swiss who finished third in Group A and made it to the Quarter-Finals after beating France in the Round of 16.

Who should you have your eyes on in 2024?

Netherlands

The Dutch are no strangers to this competition. They won it once in 1988 and placed third four times. That last third-place finish came in 2004. 

At the 2022 World Cup, the Flying Dutchmen finished fourth with the third youngest squad in the competition. They had an average age of 26. Forward Cody Gakpo was a revelation with three goals in five matches for the Oranje in Qatar. 

Three World Cup games, three goals. Cody Gakpo, literally flying. ⭐️🇳🇱 #Qatar2022 #QatarWorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/Eeb0FHuqwm

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 29, 2022

There’s a lot to like about Holland. At +1400, keep an eye on their qualifying. 

Croatia

The Croatians are at the top of Group D with four points in two qualifiers. Remember, they finished as runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and then third in Qatar. Never discount Croatia at a major international tournament. With +3500 odds you could make $350 on a $10 bet backing them this early. That’s very tempting. 

Last Five Euro Winners

Favorites typically win this tournament. They have deep squads overflowing with some of the most talented players in all of Europe. But every few years a dark horse goes all the way and is crowned Kings of Europe.

At +15000 Greece, and those who bet on them, haven’t yet forgotten about that tournament in 2004.

Last Five Euro Runners-Up 

*After extra time
**Game tied 1-1 after extra time, ended 3-2 in penalties

The Euro finals are a low-scoring affair. Over the last five tournaments, three or more goals have been scored only once. It’s worth exploring the UNDER when the Final comes up in July of 2024.

How to Read Euro 2024 Odds

At any soccer betting site, you’ll see futures odds laid out like so:

If you were to make a traditional straight-up bet, the favorite would be shown with the minus sign (-). In cases like these where there is no clear front-runner, the country with the lowest odds is the fave even if they’re all represented with the plus sign (+) which is generally used to demonstrate underdogs.

Let’s say you’ve looked at the group schedule and think Belgium is going to dominate and make it all the way to the top. A $100 bet would give you a payout of $650 – your original money is returned coupled with your winnings of $550.

Our Odds Calculator is a tool that will tell you how much you’d win based on the offered odds and amount bet.

What is a Futures Bet on the Euro Championship?

A futures bet is a wager made far in advance of a big event. Here, the bet is on the quadrennial Euro contest. It can be said that most bets are made prior to a sporting matchup, but futures can be placed weeks, months or even years in advance. In fact, as soon as the last championship is won, new odds will be released.

The odds will shift as the group stage gets closer and continue to move until right before the final is played on July 14, 2024, at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. If you see odds you like, take them to get the most value on your bets (should you win).