The No. 9 Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-0) are flying high and show no signs of slowing down as they host Kansas (4-2) on Saturday night in Lubbock. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on FOX, and with the Red Raiders sitting undefeated and dominating on both sides of the ball, the Big 12 spotlight belongs squarely on Joey McGuire’s crew.
Texas Tech enters as a 13.5-point favorite, and for good reason — the Red Raiders boast the No. 1 offense in the nation, racking up a jaw-dropping 568.8 yards per game and averaging 48.6 points, second only to Oregon.
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Quarterback Behren Morton has been surgical, throwing for 1,410 yards, 12 touchdowns, and just three interceptions while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. When he’s not lighting up secondaries, the backfield duo of Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams is pounding defenses for over 200 yards per game on the ground.
Defensively, the Red Raiders have been just as ruthless. They’re allowing only 11.2 points per game, ranking fourth in the nation, and have one of the stingiest front sevens in college football — giving up just 65.6 rushing yards per game, second-best in the FBS. Their +6 turnover margin shows how disciplined and opportunistic this defense has become.
Kansas will bring an efficient offense led by quarterback Jalon Daniels, who’s thrown for 16 touchdowns and just two interceptions, but the Jayhawks have struggled mightily on third downs — converting a meager 30.8%, ranking 127th nationally. That’s a nightmare matchup against a Texas Tech defense that’s top-10 in third-down stops and thrives on forcing quick punts.
Penalties remain Texas Tech’s only blemish, averaging over 76 yards per game, but when the offense is humming and the defense suffocates, few teams can capitalize.
Expect McGuire’s Red Raiders to attack early, open up the playbook, and let the Air Raid roar under the lights at Jones AT&T Stadium. Morton will push the pace, Dickey will punch it in, and the defense will do what it does best — bury opponents.
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