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Texas Tech football: Where the Red Raiders may have an edge over BYU

By Matthew Conner

Oct 14, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back LJ Martin (27) in action during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Brigham Young Cougars at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back LJ Martin (27) in action during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Brigham Young Cougars at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 14, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Kedon Slovis (10) hands the ball off to running back LJ Martin (27) during the game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Kedon Slovis (10) hands the ball off to running back LJ Martin (27) during the game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Texas Tech should be able to shut down a dreadful BYU ground game

Coming off of a game that saw KSU rush for 272 yards, BYU is the perfect opponent for the Red Raider defense to face.  That’s because the Cougars are by far the worst rushing team in the conference and one of the most anemic rushing teams in the country.

So far, the Cougars have run for a grand total of 405 yards as a team, 305 fewer yards than the next closest team in the conference, Baylor.  What’s more, that’s 381 yards behind what Tahj Brooks has managed on his own for the Red Raiders in 2023.

Averaging just 72 yards per game on the ground, BYU checks in at No. 127 out of 133 teams in the nation.  That’s the third-lowest of any Power 5 team in the NCAA.

Maybe it’s because of their ineffectiveness on the ground or because they have a veteran QB in Kedon Slovis, the Cougars aren’t really even trying to run the ball.  They’ve attempted only 170 rushes in six games.  When you factor out the nine sacks they have allowed, they are running the ball only 26.8 times per game with their running backs.

Also making this a favorable matchup for Tech is that Slovis isn’t likely to take off and run.  The fifth-year senior has never had a season in which he’s finished with positive yardage on the ground.  That’s refreshing for a Red Raider defense that gave up 90 yards and five TDs on the ground last week to KSU quarterback, Avery Johnson.

The last time Tech faced a team that struggled to run the ball, D.C. Tim DeRuyter saw his defense give up only 17 yards to Baylor, the school that is 13th in the conference in rushing.  That night ended with a 39-14 win for McGuire’s team and if the Red Raiders can hold the Cougars to a similar rushing output this week, it could mean that the defense will lead the way to another road win.

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