Suzanne Haliburton says Texas is "due" for a road loss. Leaving aside the nonsensicality of that notion, what gives anyone reason to think this particular Texas Tech team has the pieces to knock off this Texas Longhorn team?
I'll admit that, prior to the season, I had this game circled as the biggest worry of the season, outside Ohio State. Lubbock is a crazy place to play, and the site of Texas' last non-neutral site road loss (2002, Chris Simms). But the Red Raiders haven't developed into a Top 20 team like many of us thought that they would. The running game is a significant step down from last season's Taruean Henderson-led attack, while the defense has proven vulnerable against the run. The lack of improvement on offense for Texas Tech is what has me believing Texas is going to handle this team with relative ease. Last year's Raiders were smothered by Texas' defense; in many regards, this year's unit is better than last year's.
If there's an area, though, in which the Texas defense has slacked at all, it is in pass defense, and it is there that Tech must believe it has a shot to do some damage. The impetus is on Gene Chizik and Duane Akina to make whatever changes are necessary to slow down Texas Tech's greatest strength, and I expect he will. I forsee a long day for Graham Harrell as Tim Crowder and the defensive line take turns harrassing him to death.
Barring a turnover festival on offense, this is not a game Texas will lose to Texas Tech. Not by a longshot. Texas looks sharp in dismantling Texas Tech - 38-17.
Your game predictions in the comment section below.
--PB--