An intriguing Big 12 showdown takes place on Saturday evening in Lubbock, Texas, as Texas Tech plays hosts to Kansas. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 11th, with Texas Tech looking to stay undefeated and ranked in the Top 10, while Kansas looks for a staple win on the road. Both teams are coming off a win, with Texas Tech handling Houston last Saturday on the road, and Kansas went to Orlando and beat UCF.
The Red Raiders enter the game as 13.5-point favorites, and the over/under is set at 58.5 points. Here are two key players to watch in this game, followed by the top storylines for each team, and a prediction from Heartland College Sports.
Two Key Players to Watch
Cameron Dickey, J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech Running Backs
Dickey and Williams have formed a great 1-2 punch in the Texas Tech backfield. They’re both in the Top 10 in the Big 12 in rushing yards per game, and have combined for 10 touchdown runs. Dickey has slightly more carries (71 to 58), but they have led a pretty balanced attack and been overlooked in a stacked Texas Tech team.
Jalon Daniels, Kansas Quarterback
For Kansas to pull off an upset, Jalon Daniels needs to ball out and have the game of a lifetime. He’s got great dual-threat ability, ranking second in the Big 12 in passing touchdowns this season, while also rushing for an average of 40 yards per game, with one rushing touchdown on the season. Daniels needs to keep Tech’s stout defense on its heels all afternoon, and own Time of Possession, for Kansas to stay competitive in this game.
Top Storylines
Texas Tech Can’t Look Ahead
Texas Tech has won every game this season by at least 24 points, including their last two Big 12 games by exactly that margin. Next week, Texas Tech goes to Arizona State. But the Red Raiders can’t overlook Kansas. They’re the better team, but need to remain focused. This defense has to lock down the most explosive offense they will have seen yet this season, with Kansas ranking in the Top 3 in offensive efficiency in the Big 12, while Leshon Williams and Jalon Daniels lead an explosive running game that can also air it out down the field.
Kansas Must Get into the Texas Tech Backfield
Kansas has quietly done a nice job getting to the quarterback, ranking second in the Big 12 Conference with 16 sacks in six games, which is the second-most in the league. Leroy Harris III, Trey Lathan and Bangally Kamara all need to have active games, and that will require creative game planning from D.K. McDonald, who has drawn some criticism this season from KU fans. But he can change that narrative dramatically on Saturday.
Prediction: Texas Tech 38, Kansas 21
As noted earlier, the Red Raiders haven’t won a game by fewer than 24 points. That ends on Saturday, but it’s not close enough to make this game feel competitive. Texas Tech is dominant on both lines, as we saw on display again on Saturday at Houston, and in front of a raucous home crowd this weekend, I expect Texas Tech’s defense to lead the way and bottle up Kansas’ run game, which could force Jalon Daniels to try and do too much. Texas Tech’s running game should have its way against KU, which results in another comfortable with for the Red Raiders.
