The Texas Tech football team will face Texas today in Lubbock. It’s an opportunity for head coach Joey McGuire to make an early statement in his Red Raider tenure and show that he’s truly turning around this program.
Tech is a program in desperate need of signature wins, the type that moves the needle not only within the fan base but across the landscape of college football. Today is a golden opportunity for one.
Last weekend, McGuire’s squad missed out on one such opportunity by falling to NC State in Raleigh. But all will be forgiven and forgotten should the Red Raiders bring home a win today.
Unfortunately, victories over Texas have been difficult to come by for Tech in recent years, even as the Longhorns have struggled as a program. Tech is riding a 4-game losing streak in the series and, even worse, hasn’t managed to secure a home win over UT since 2008.
So let’s take a look at what the Red Raiders need to do to reverse that trend today. And we will start with the most obvious key to this contest.
Win the turnover battle
Obviously, turnovers have been a huge problem for Tech thus far. Four turnovers last week brought the team’s total to seven in the past two games and eight for the season.
That’s disconcerting as this matchup with UT approaches given that the Horns have committed only one turnover on the season. On the other hand, though, is the fact that Texas has forced only two takeaways this year.
What’s important, for Tech today is to not only take the ball away from the Horns but to capitalize on any extra opportunities that the defense may give this team’s sputtering offense. So far, Tech has forced only four turnovers this year and as of yet, none have led to points on the ensuing drive.
Of course, QB Donovan Smith must also be more careful with the football today. He has thrown five picks in the last two games and that can’t continue today.
For the Red Raiders to win this game, the turnover battle will likely have to go the way of the home team. If that happens, it will mark the first time this year that Tech has won the turnover battle and it will be a great sign of progress for this team.
Stop the run
Texas features the best running back in the nation, Bijan Robinson. He’s averaging 103 yards per game and coming off of a game that saw him gash UTSA for 183 yards and 3 TDs.
Given the questions Texas has at QB with starter Quinn Ewers questionable to play today and backup Hudson Card being just an average college QB, Texas will likely want to rely heavily on the ground game today.
The good news for Tech is that the Red Raider defense ranks second in the Big 12 against the run. Giving up only an average of 82.6 yards per contest on the ground, Tech has been fantastic in that area of the game thus far.
The goal here should be to keep Robinson under 130 yards. What’s even more important is to keep him below 4.0 yards per carry. If Tech can make him have to grind out his yards instead of picking them up in huge hunks as he did against the Red Raiders last year, this defense can keep the Red Raiders in the game.
Play a clean special teams game
Tech can’t afford a sloppy special teams game this week. That’s also been a problem for this team in 2022.
Last week, Tech got a muffed punt by Drew Hocutt and a shanked punt by Austin McNamara leading directly to six NC State points. Those two early mistakes helped turn the tide against the Red Raiders right out of the gates.
A week prior, the Red Raiders missed two field goals, gave up a long punt return, and were lucky to not have given up a punt return TD as Houston had a punt return TD called back due to a penalty. In all, the kicking game has been worrisome for McGuire and his staff this season.
Texas is a significant favorite today and much of that is because people don’t believe in the Red Raider offense. To help that struggling unit, the kicking game needs to provide plenty of hidden yards and produce a short field or two. If that happens, this game could go the way we all hope it will.