Mandatory Credit: Photo by Brad Tollefson/AP/Shutterstock (13486546d) Texas Tech’s Behren Morton (2) passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, in Lubbock, Texas West Virginia Texas Tech Football, Lubbock, United States – 22 Oct 2022
Around the Region College Football Preview, Week 9: TCU hopes to stay undefeated in Morgantown while Baylor, Texas Tech clash in Lubbock
#7 TCU HORNED FROGS (7-0, 4-0 Big 12)
Last Week: Won 38-28 vs #17 Kansas State
This Week: Saturday, 11:00 a.m. CT at West Virginia (3-4, 1-3 Big 12)
TV/Radio: ESPN/Horned Frog Sports Network
TCU puts their undefeated record on the line Saturday afternoon as they head to Morgantown for a showdown with the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. West Virginia has had an up-and-down season to date but has won two in a row at home. They’ll undoubtedly be hungry to end the Horned Frogs’ undefeated run Saturday following their blowout loss last weekend, an embarrassing showing that saw them give up 48 points to Texas Tech. The Mountaineers score an average of more than 34 points per game, another challenge for the TCU defense in a league full of high-flying offenses. The Horned Frogs will try to replicate what Texas Tech accomplished last weekend, intercepting WVU quarterback JT Daniels three times to set up extra opportunities against the Mountaineers’ struggling defense. On the offensive side of the ball, the Horned Frogs are in line for a potentially huge day. TCU’s offense ranks first in the Big 12 and third nationally, averaging 522 yards per game, resulting in almost 45 points per contest. The Frogs have scored 38 or more points in every game this season, while West Virginia’s defense has allowed 38 or more points in five of their seven games. Nothing comes easy in the Big 12 conference, but Max Duggan and the Frogs ought to have a field day scoring points Saturday afternoon. If the defense can hold up reasonably well, there’s no reason TCU won’t be 8-0 heading into next week’s showdown with Texas Tech.
BAYLOR BEARS (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) vs TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (4-3, 2-2 Big 12)
Last Week: Baylor: Won 35-23 vs Kansas, Texas Tech: Won 48-10 vs West Virginia
This Week: Baylor at Texas Tech, Saturday 6:30 p.m. CT
TV/Radio: ESPN2/SiriusXM 199 & 200
The Baylor Bears head to Lubbock Saturday evening for a matchup between Big 12 teams, each trying to keep the momentum going after big wins a week ago. Baylor topped Kansas in Waco, burying the Jayhawks in the first half before warding off an aggressive comeback late. Freshman running back Richard Reese had an incredible game, finishing with 186 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including a score that put the game away with less than three minutes to play. The Bears will hope for better play out of quarterback Blake Shapen, who threw two interceptions and fumbled once to help Kansas climb back into the game. Baylor controlled possession of the football exceptionally well last week, dominating the game on the ground while possessing the football for over forty minutes. The Bears’ defense ranks second in yardage allowed in the Big 12, giving them an exceptionally high ceiling if the offense can avoid turnovers and push upward from the middle of the pack in the conference.
Texas Tech’s offense is seemingly hitting on all cylinders, ranking second in the Big 12 while averaging just short of 500 yards per game. Despite the incredible success the offense has seen, the big question around Lubbock this week is about who will start at quarterback Saturday night. Tyler Shough, who entered the season as the starter, has finally been cleared to play after a Week 1 injury held him out for almost two months. Donovan Smith and highly touted freshman Behren Morton have both looked quite good in his place, leading the Red Raiders through a stretch that saw them play five consecutive ranked teams, beating two of them. Morton looked especially dominant in his second career start last week versus West Virginia, passing for 325 yards and two scores without a turnover in the blowout win. Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire has said all three quarterbacks are taking snaps with the first team offense this week, and it seems likely that all three could see action at various points in the game against Baylor.
The key to the game will likely be how successful the high-powered Red Raiders offense can be against the Bears’ vaunted defense. Baylor wants to play a game with a reasonably low score, while the Red Raiders will look to bait the Bears into an old-school West Texas shootout. Whoever controls pace is likely to prevail, with the winner moving to 3-2 in Big 12 play.
BEST OF THE REST AROUND TEXAS
(All games Saturday, unless specified otherwise)
FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION
Charlotte at Rice, 1:00 p.m. CT
SMU at Tulsa, 2:30 p.m. CT
North Texas at Western Kentucky, 2:30 p.m. CT
Middle Tennessee at UTEP, 8:00 p.m. CT
FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION
UT Martin at Houston Christian, 2:00 p.m. CT
Incarnate Word at Texas A&M Commerce, 2:00 p.m. CT
Utah Tech at Stephen F Austin, 2:00 p.m. CT
Nicholls at Lamar, 3:00 p.m. CT
Sam Houston at Tarleton State, 7:00 p.m. CT