Texas Longhorns football preview: How does Texas match up with Texas Tech?
In the final meeting in a rivalry that dates back almost 95 years, Texas will try to secure a spot in next week’s Big 12 championship game by beating Texas Tech on Friday night.
How to the Longhorns and Red Raiders match up?
No. 7 Texas (10-1, 7-1) vs. Texas Tech (6-5, 5-3)
6:30 p.m. Friday, Royal-Memorial Stadium, Austin
More: Texas football again ready to light up Royal-Memorial Stadium in home finale — literally
TV/radio: ABC/1300, 98.1, 105.3 (Spanish)
Line: Texas is favored by 12½ points
When Texas has the ball
The absence of injured star RB Jonathon Brooks didn’t affect how Texas coach Steve Sarkisian called the plays in last week’s 26-16 win over Iowa State. Freshman CJ Baxter stepped into the starting role and ran for a career-high 117 yards and he’ll face a Texas Tech defesne that gives up a middling 155.5 yards rushing a game. … Tech’s defense has played well in a pair of wins over the past two weeks while allowing 13 points to Kansas and 23 to UCF, but the Red Raiders will likely play this game without star LB Jacob Rodriguez, who had 12 tackles last week. Rodriguez missed most of the season with an injury before returning the past two games, but head coach Joey McGuire said the team wants to preserve his redshirt this season, which can only happen if Rodriguez sits out the Texas game. … Texas QB Quinn Ewers was sacked four times by Iowa State, but Texas Tech ranks just 10th in the Big 12 with 19 sacks and doesn’t have a single player with four.
When Texas Tech has the ball
It’s strength against strength when the Red Raiders run the ball with Tahj Brooks, because Texas ranks fifth in the nation in run defense with 82.7 yards allowed per game. … The Red Raiders have cycled through three quarterbacks this season because of injuries, but highly recruited sophomore Behren Mortons will make his fourth straight start after throwing for 714 yards and four TDs with two INTs over the past three games. Texas has allowed an opposing quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in four of the past five games. ... As McGuire showed last season, he likes to go for it on fourth down. Only Baylor has more fourth-down attempts than Texas Tech in the Big 12, which is 22 of 34 on fourth down this season. The Texas defense is holding foes to a 45.8% conversion rate on fourth downs.
Key matchup
Texas kick cover gunners Keilan Robinson and Kitan Crawford against Texas Tech’s return men: The Red Raiders are the only team in the Big 12 to return both a kickoff and a punt back for a touchdown. Kick returner Drae McCray is especially dangerous with an average of 28.2 yards per return, which ranks second in the Big 12.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns football preview: Matching up with Texas Tech
