Cal vs. Texas Tech Odds, Picks, Opt-Out Tracker for the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Cal vs. Texas Tech Odds, Picks, Opt-Out Tracker for the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Cal vs. Texas Tech State Start Time and Where to Watch - Radiance Technology Independence Bowl
- Date: Saturday, December 16, 2023
- Start Time: 9:15 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN
Cal vs. Texas Tech Odds
- Spread: Cal +3.5 (-110), Texas Tech -3.5 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 57.5 (-110), Under 57.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Cal (+145), Texas Tech (-172)
Cal vs. Texas Tech Preview
The Cal Golden Bears will take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in this year's Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
In an opening weekend bowl game between (6-6) Power 5 teams, it is expectedly riddled with transfer portal roster moves. These teams both had up and down years, and many impact players are looking for greener pastures elsewhere, so they've elected not to participate in this one.
The Cal Bears arrive on a hot streak over their last three games, notching critical victories to qualify them for a bowl game after a 3-6 start. They won a thriller over Washington State, before taking down their rival Stanford in a wire-to-wire victory. That momentum culminated in a 33-7 beatdown of the inconsistent UCLA Bruins in the final week of the regular season, and earned them an appearance in this Independence Bowl.
Jaydn Ott has come on strong for the Bears down the stretch, and has been a big contributor to this three-game win streak. The sophomore running back has piled up over 400 yards and three touchdowns in that span, and will be a key factor against Texas Tech who just gave up 300 rushing yards to Texas in their final game.
On the other side, Texas Tech will equally lean on their rushing game, featuring the fourth-leading running back in the nation in Tahj Brooks. He has racked up over 1,400 yards this year, and just announced that he would return to the Red Raiders in 2024.
On the opt-out front, Texas Tech will lose two of their leading receivers in this contest. They haven't been a great passing offense all year, and it will be even more limited in this one. QB Behren Morton is still recovering from an injury and isn't 100%, while trying to overcome a three interception performance in his last game.
Cal doesn't get any help on their side, as they lose their leading tackler on defense in Kaleb Elarms-Orr. Orr entered the portal last week after notching 87 stops for the Bears, and was a major part of unit that forced multiple turnovers in seven games.
The Bears have forced twice as many turnovers as the Red Raiders, with 25 total on the season. They gave UCLA fits in their last game, causing four in that one alone. That could spell trouble for the Red Raiders, who are 0-4 when committing three or more turnovers in a game. They just did it against Texas, and were blown away by 50. Morton and the TTU offense will have to take care of the ball and keep it out of Cal's hands.
Cal vs. Texas Tech Odds - Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
| Team | Moneyline Odds | Point Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cal | +140 | +3.5 (-110) | Over 57.5 (-105) |
| Texas Tech | -172 | -3.5 (-110) | Under 57.5 (-115) |
Click here for Cal vs. Texas Tech odds
Amid a weekend full of line moves in the opening six bowl games, this final game between Cal and Texas Tech has stayed relatively near the open. It began at Texas Tech -2.5, and has teetered back and forth around a field goal before increasing to -3.5 on the eve of the game. The vast majority of the bets are on Tech in this one, pushing the line with an influx of late money.
The total has come down a point to 57.5 from 58, but is still one of the largest totals of the week. This game figures to be high-scoring, and both teams have struggled defensively at multiple points this season.
It is unlikely that we'll see a wire-to-wire winner in this one, but instead it will depend on which team can answer after they get hit first. Cal is catching a field goal of insurance in this game, but will they be able to compete with Brooks and the Red Raider rushing attack? Let's get to our prediction and see what this matchup boils down to.
Cal vs. Texas Tech Prediction
Everyone is against the Bears in this one, with 76% of bets coming on the spread for Texas Tech. The anticipated outcome is that the Big 12 side will be able to run all over a weak Pac-12 defense that was barely bowl eligible, with Tahj Brooks having a field day on the ground. But Cal has come on strong in recent weeks, and they have all the momentum in this matchup. Jaydn Ott has remained steadfast to Cal, and is playing his best football of the season down the stretch. Fernando Mendoza has surprised many as a freshman quarterback, and isn't done yet. Let's back the Bears to keep this close or win outright in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
- Pick: Cal +3.5 (-110) (Bet $110 to collect $100) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
Cal vs. Texas Tech Opt-Out Tracker
Cal Opt-Outs
- Sam Jackson, QB (transfer portal)
- Jeremiah Earby, CB (transfer portal)
- Kaleb Elarms-Orr, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Mateen Bhaghani, K (transfer portal)
- Everett Johnson, iOL (transfer portal)
- Blake Antzoulatos, LB (transfer portal)
- Brayden Rohme, OT (transfer portal)
- Tyson McWilliams, DB (transfer portal)
- Ben Finley, QB (transfer portal)
- Taj Davis, WR (transfer portal)
Texas Tech Opt-Outs
- JJ Sparkman, WR (transfer portal)
- Loic Fouonji, WR (transfer portal)
- Jayden York, TE (transfer portal)
- Brook Honore, P (transfer portal)
- Tyler King, WR (transfer portal)
- Nate Floyd, DB (transfer portal)
- Seth Martin, OL (transfer portal)
- Monroe Mills, OT (transfer portal)
- Jerand Bradley, WR (transfer portal)
- Nehemiah Martinez, WR (transfer portal)
- Matt Keeler, OL (transfer portal)
- Myles Price, WR (transfer portal)
- Landon Peterson, OT (transfer portal)
- Tyler Shough, QB (transfer portal)
- Jordan Green, TE (transfer portal)
College Football Odds
Peter is a sports writer focused on coverage and analysis of college football and basketball, as well as the NFL and other major sports. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, he has been writing sports articles for over 8 years.
After working for ClutchPoints, Peter joined OddsChecker in 2023. He is a New York sports superfan and is fluent in the sports betting industry.