Texas Tech @ West Virginia preview

Texas Tech at West Virginia

Last Meeting ( Oct 13, 2012 ) West Virginia 14, Texas Tech 49

No. 15 Texas Tech and host West Virginia each have three quarterbacks that could start when the teams meet Saturday, but Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury and Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen haven't named starters. Texas Tech's Davis Webb was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 415 yards in his first start, but fellow freshman Baker Mayfield (knee) reportedly was back at practice Tuesday. Clint Trickett, Ford Childress and Paul Millard are all healthy after the Mountaineers' bye week and each has started two games this season.

Holgorsen began his Division I coaching career in 2000 as the receivers coach at Texas Tech when Kingsbury was the Red Raiders' quarterback. They were on the offensive staff at the University of Houston (2008-09) after Kingsbury's playing career ended. "He's the one who got me a job at the University of Houston, and I actually lived with him when I worked there, so (we're) very close," Kingsbury said on Monday. "We don't talk as much now that we're in the same conference. But I have a ton of respect for him, and I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for him."

TV: Noon ET, FOX Sports 1. LINE: West Virginia 5.5

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (6-0, 3-0 Big 12): Mayfield, who has 1,488 passing yards and eight touchdowns in five starts, missed the Iowa State game after injuring his knee against Kansas. Webb (965 yards, nine TDs) has appeared in five contests and sophomore Michael Brewer is healthy after missing a month with a back injury. Tight end Jace Amaro leads the conference with 47 catches for 606 yards and is seventh nationally with 7.8 receptions per game.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (3-3, 1-2): Millard replaced Trickett during a 73-42 loss to Baylor on Oct. 5, when the Mountaineers allowed eight rushing touchdowns and a conference-record 864 total yards. Holgorsen hopes his familiarity with Kingsbury and the Texas Tech offense will help the Mountaineer defense - ranked ninth in the Big 12 in points and yards allowed - this week. "We are both cut from the same cloth," Holgorsen said. "So we are going to know what they do offensively. Obviously, the challenge is to stop it."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas Tech has recorded back-to-back games with 100 offensive plays for the first time in school history.

2. The Red Raiders lead the nation in forcing three-and-outs (7.33 per game) and lead the Big 12 in third-down conversion defense (28.2 percent).

3. The Mountaineers were 5-0 in 2012 before a 49-14 loss at Texas Tech started a five-game losing streak.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 35, West Virginia 23