Baylor @ Texas Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 11, 2017 ) Texas Tech 38, Baylor 24

Programs needing a win in their season finales to gain bowl eligibility will face off Saturday as Baylor travels to Texas Tech to challenge a slumping Red Raiders squad. Texas Tech has lost four straight games and produced its worst scoring output of the season last week, losing 21-6 on the road to Kansas State.

Texas Tech entered Saturday’s game ranked second-nationally averaging 383 yards passing but mustered only 181 total yards of offense while committing four turnovers. “We didn’t do what we’ve done all year offensively which was put our best foot forward and play hard and physical,” Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters. “We didn’t make plays, turned the ball over, dropped snaps, just stuff that wasn’t typical of our offense and who we are as a program.” Offense was the issue for Baylor as well last week as quarterback Charlie Brewer was 3-of-3 for 50 yards on the Bears only scoring drive of the day – giving them a 6-3 first-quarter lead - but finished with 163 yards on 14-of-29 passing and was sacked five times in Baylor’s 21-9 home loss to TCU. “It’s extremely disappointing,” Brewer told the media. “We played terrible on offense. Really, that was it. We just shot ourselves in the foot.”

TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Texas Tech -6

ABOUT BAYLOR (5-6, 3-5 Big 12): A sequence in the second quarter proved costly to the Bears as a Brewer fumble on first-and-goal was recovered by TCU and four plays later, Baylor’s defense surrendered a 65-yard touchdown pass that gave the Horned Frogs a 9-6 lead. Brewer was responsible for two of Baylor’s three giveaways with the other coming two plays into the game when running back John Lovett looked to have found a hole but TCU stripped the ball loose and recovered at the Bears 34. Baylor’s special teams have been stellar all season and came up big again against TCU as defensive end BJ Thompson blocked a punt and an extra point, moving the Bears into a tie with Toledo for the most blocked kicks in the country (seven) and placing them third nationally in blocked punts (three).

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (5-6, 3-5): The Red Raiders recorded their fourth red zone turnover of the season against the Wildcats when freshman Adrian Frye intercepted his fifth pass of the year, which moved him into a tie for the second-most nationally among first-year players. In his third career start last week, quarterback Jett Duffy completed 19-of-27 passes for 150 yards with an interception after the sophomore threw for 444 yards and four TDs the week before against Texas. Kingsbury was not pleased with Duffy’s play as when Texas Tech was down 12 with six minutes left, quarterback McLane Carter took over and proceeded to fumble his first snap - which was recovered by Kansas State.

EXTRA POINTS

1. This will be the 77th meeting, with the Red Raiders holding a 38-37-1 advantage.

2. Big 12 teams have a 26-13 record at home this season during conference play.

3. The Bears are averaging 216.2 rushing yards in their five wins and 110.5 in their six losses.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 30, Baylor 21