Baylor vs. BYU odds, spread, lines: Week 2 college football picks, predictions by computer model
A major non-conference matchup is set to kick off in Week 2 as Big 12 favorite Baylor goes on the road to BYU on Saturday night.
The game will be a major test for both teams: for Baylor, a chance to boost its College Football Playoff resume with a road win against a ranked opponent; and for BYU, a chance to show it belongs on the same field as a Big 12 team before it joins that conference next season.
What do the experts think of the matchup? Let's see what the College Football Power Index computer prediction model projects for the game.
Baylor vs. BYU odds, spread, lines, predictions
Week 2 college football schedule: Baylor vs. BYU
Football Power Index is siding with Baylor by a narrow margin, as the visitors have a 57.6 percent chance to defeat the Cougars.
BYU has a 42.4 percent shot to beat the Bears at home.
But the oddsmakers are thinking differently, naming BYU as 3.5 point favorites, according to SI Sportsbook, which set an over/under mark of 53.5 points for the game.
FPI named Baylor as the No. 8 team in its latest college football rankings, projected to win 8.8 games this season with a 24.2 percent shot to repeat as Big 12 champions.
BYU checked in at No. 28 in the computer rankings, projected to win 8.5 games this season and is an estimated 9.6 points better on average than the teams on its schedule.
AP top 25 voters moved Baylor up 1 spot in the new Week 2 poll, to the No. 9 spot, while BYU jumped 4 spots to No. 21 overall.
College Football Power Index
ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) college football rankings and computer prediction model are a measure of team strength that predicts a team’s future performance.
Rankings and scores predictions are based on 20,000 simulations of a team’s season, using a combination of analytics, including scores to date, quality of opponents, and a team’s schedule.
College football rankings
According to AP top 25 poll
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Clemson
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Notre Dame
- Baylor
- USC
- Oklahoma State
- Florida
- Utah
- Michigan State
- Miami
- Arkansas
- Pittsburgh
- NC State
- Wisconsin
- Kentucky
- BYU
- Ole Miss
- Wake Forest
- Tennessee
- Houston