Kansas @ Texas Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 7, 2017 ) Texas Tech 65, Kansas 19

Texas Tech can move into a tie for second place in the Big 12 Conference with idle West Virginia with a homecoming victory over visiting Kansas on Saturday afternoon. But the Red Raiders, coming in off a 17-14 upset win at TCU, could be without starting quarterback Alan Bowman for the second straight game.

Bowman suffered a partially collapsed lung in the first half of a 42-34 loss to the Mountaineers on Sept. 29 and as of Tuesday hadn't returned to practicing in 11-on-11 team drills although he did suit up and take part in some pre-game drills before the win over the Horned Frogs. But Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said Tuesday he won't play the freshman quarterback, who has completed 138-of-199 passes for 1,680 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, until he's fully healthy. "I wouldn't say he's full go yet, but he's been easing his way back in," Kingsbury said. "We're obviously going to be (cautious) and make sure he's not out there until he's 100 percent. It's such a rare injury, we want to be overly cautious, make sure he's protected and safe out there." Kansas, meanwhile, will be playing its first game since firing offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Doug Meacham with embattled head coach David Beaty taking over those play-calling duties.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Texas Tech -18

ABOUT KANSAS (2-4, 0-3 Big 12): Beaty decided to fire Meacham during the bye week following a 38-22 loss at West Virginia during which the ESPN2 broadcast caught Beaty borrowing the headset of receivers coach Justin Johnson and then screaming into the microphone with Meacham on the other end. "I think it's obviously not an ideal situation," quarterback Peyton Bender told KUsports.com. "You don't want to be firing your OC midseason. But the best thing we can do as quarterbacks is try and eliminate distractions, try and put it past us." Kansas ranks ninth in scoring (19.0) and passing (200.7 yards per game) and 10th (last) in the Big 12 in rushing (107.7 yards) but has a budding star in freshman running back Pooka Williams, who ranks second in the conference with an average of 107.8 yards per game.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (4-2, 2-1): With Bowman, who was leading the nation in passing before his injury, and backup McLane Carter (high-ankle sprain) both sidelined, sophomore Jett Duffey made his first Big 12 start at TCU and he ran 38 yards for the go-ahead touchdown on a quarterback draw with seven minutes to go. Duffey completed 13-of-24 passes for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception and also rushed for 83 yards and a TD on 16 carries. Tech's defense, led by senior linebacker Tony Jones (four sacks) and sophomore defensive end Eli Howard (18 tackles, four tackles for loss, five QB hurries), has held five of its last six opponents to fewer than 200 yards rushing and a 31.5 percent third-down conversion rate which ranks 20th nationally and second in the Big 12.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas Tech leads the series with the Jayhawks, 18-1, and has won the last 11 in a row.

2. Beaty is 5-37 with only one Big 12 conference win in four seasons as head coach.

3. Kansas leads the nation in takeaways (18), including three interceptions returned for TDs, but has parlayed the other 15 turnovers into just 35 points.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 38, Kansas 14