PREVIEW: TEXAS TECH vs New Mexico

Whatever it is that you do you should do, you should do with your head held high. – PINK (yep I’m hitting the bottom of the barrel for lyrics)

Where:  Jones AT&T Stadium

When:  6:00pm Central

TV:  Fox Sports Channel

Weather:  low 70s, partly rainy chance of rain

Line:  Tech -33.5

The mighty Lobos of New Mexico make their bi-annual trip to the slaughterhouse in Lubbock this week as the Red Raiders look to get everything setup for Big 12 play.

But before we get into this week’s game, let’s look back to last week…

You really can’t bitch about anything the Red Raiders did against Texas State last week. The beat them on offense, defense and special teams. It was the kind of game Tech needed and wanted to have. Great job all around. 58 -10 has a nice ring to it.

So in limps New Mexico after getting their butts handed to them by the Longhorns in Austin last weekend.

This has been a bad team for years. Bob Davie for some reason decided to leave the warm confines of ESPN’s college broadcast and come back to coaching after a bad tenure at Notre Dame to try and resurrect this moribund program. I don’t know why, I mean I really don’t know why.  This team was 1-11 last year and 3-33 that past three years overall. They are awful.

Here’s what you need to know. They are installing a new offense under Davie, the triple option but they have no threat to throw as their QB is beat up and has been pretty inefficient to say the least all year.

This is gut check game for the entire defense. New Mexico is going to try and control the clock as much as they can and just run and run.

BEST GUESS

TECH      52

NM        17

FUN WITH NUMBERS

22 – Straight road loses by the lobos

76 – Total points given up by New Mexico in two games.

4 – Tech’s rank in total defense (according to SI.com) take it while you got it

GUNS UP!

TEXAS TECH vs Texas State Preview

I tried to find any songs about San Marcos but nobody has yet to be inspired by visiting a city known for its Outlet Mall it appears.

Where:  Jim Wacker Field, San Marcos

When:  6:00pm Central

TV:  ESPN3 (that’s the internet)

Weather:  mid 80s, some wind

Line:  Tech -18

The Texas Tech Red Raiders begin to play real football, at least technically FBS level football when they travel down to the packed 30,000 seat stadium in San Marcos to take on the Texas State Bobcats.

But before we get into this week’s game, let’s look back to last week…

Well, if there would have been a line the Red Raiders wouldn’t have covered. But they took care of business. Seth Doege and Eric Stephens came back and for the most part looked good, not great. Nice surprise was Kenny Davis getting 75 yards on the ground. 13 different players caught at least one pass and it was virtual 50/50 split of run to pass.

Best part was defense.  They only allowed 84 yards of total offense and 6 first downs. Outstanding.

Now comes some “real” competition. I use quotation marks on real as I don’t know what the Bobcats have got. Are they closer to the team that Tech whipped 50-10 last year? Or are they closer to the team that won their first FBS game as a member of the WAC against a Houston team on the road last week (a Houston team who is replacing their Head Coach, QB, and lord knows who else). Guess we will find out.

Dennis Franchione is rebuilding this team and his reputation and they sure seem to be on the right track. Their defense held last year’s top offense to just 13 points, though a lot of yards (sounds eerily familiar). Their offense seems to be fairly balanced as they led on the ground by Marcus Curry with 131 yards and 2 TDs. Their QB, Shawn Rutherford completed almost 20  passes for 196 yards to 7 different receivers.

If I had any faith in Tuberville, which I have surprisingly little of, I would chalk this up to an easy win. However, until we see what this team really after a few more games is see a 14 pt win.

San Marcos Outlet Mall

BEST GUESS

TECH      42

TSU        28

FUN WITH NUMBERS

105 – seasons of playing intercollegiate football for Texas State

2006 – Last time the Red Raiders held an opponent to 6 or less points

49 – total number of plays that Northwestern State was able to run, North Texas had 46 in 2000

GUNS UP!

ESPN RECAP OF LAST GAME FOR TECH

ESPN RECAP OF LAST GAME FOR TSU