Texas Tech @ Baylor preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 9, 2010 ) Baylor 38, Texas Tech 45

THE STORY: With a win against No. 20 Baylor, Texas Tech could become the ninth of 10 Big 12 teams to be bowl-eligible, but it won’t be easy. The Bears are coming off a monumental upset of Oklahoma in which quarterback Robert Griffin III found Terrance Williams in the back of the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown with eight seconds left to seal a 45-38 win. Since upsetting the Sooners themselves on Oct. 22, the Red Raiders have fallen apart, losing four straight. Three of those were blowouts, but last week’s 31-27 loss at Missouri was a step in the right direction.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Line: Baylor -13.5

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (5-6, 2-6 Big 12): At one point, bowl eligibility seemed like a certainty for the Red Raiders, who snapped Oklahoma’s 39-game home winning streak with a 41-38 upset one month ago. But since then, Texas Tech has inexplicably collapsed, losing in blowout fashion to Iowa State, Texas and Oklahoma State before last week’s loss at Missouri. Now the Red Raiders look to keep alive their 18-year bowl eligibility streak against Baylor, a team they’ve dominated for the past decade-and-a-half.

ABOUT BAYLOR (7-3, 4-3 Big 12): If Texas Tech is the perfect example for fading down the stretch, the Bears are the complete opposite, winning three in a row after falling at Oklahoma State on Oct. 29. Baylor improved to 6-0 at home with the win over Oklahoma, but it is just 1-3 away from Waco, meaning this game in Arlington could be a challenge. Led by Griffin, the Bears have totaled more than 600 yards of offense in three of the past four games, including a school-record 686 in a 42-39 victory over Missouri.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Texas Tech has won 15 straight meetings with Baylor.

2. Griffin ranks second nationally with a 191.7 passing efficiency, while Texas Tech’s Seth Doege is 43rd (138.8).

3. The Red Raiders are 113th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 36.8 points per game.

PREDICTION: Baylor 48, Texas Tech 41. The Bears will win in a shootout, ending the Red Raiders’ long run of bowl seasons.