Predicting Texas Tech Football’s Complete 2014 Season
By Robert Jones
Nov 2, 2013; Lubbock, TX, USA; The Texas Tech Red Raiders enter the field in the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Week 2: Texas Tech at UTEP (El Paso, Texas)
Favorite: Texas Tech
Storyline: Can UTEP make this one interesting? It’s a late game in El Paso, and just ask Oklahoma fans how interesting their late-night tilt with the Miners was back in 2012. That said, UTEP is coming off a two-win season and 1-7 record in C-USA play. They do return their head coach and 16 starters (9 offense, 5 defense, 2 special teams), including former Aggie quarterback Jameill Showers. It’s not much, but UTEP is a step up in competition for Tech after Central Ark.
MVP: Brandon Jackson is the clear leader along a defensive line held together with twigs and silly putty, and this week he breaks out with two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble as the whole defense has a feeding frenzy with the Miner offense.
Score: UTEP gave up a lot of points last year (40 per game), which doesn’t bode well when you’re going up against a Kliff Kingsbury offense. They get a couple scores of their own, but ultimately it’s a rout: Texas Tech 45, UTEP 18.
Record: 2-0