We know all too well that the Big 12 conference is known for surprises.
A team expected to lose by 20 points could defeat you on any given day. That’s exactly what makes college football that much more exciting.
We’re not psychics and certainly never intend to get ahead of ourselves. However, we’re going to break down why we think Texas should win at Texas Tech and why.
Texas WR’s, YAC
After just one game into the season, PFF listed this Texas group as the highest graded wide receiver unit in all of college football. In the season opener against UTEP, we quickly witnessed the yards after catch ability from Joshua Moore, Tarik Black and Brenden Schooler.
Each of these three receivers will play a vital role in Lubbock on Saturday. The key stat to remember is that the Red Raiders gave up 261 yards after the catch to Houston Baptist in their season opener.
Coaching staff
If the game happens to start off rocky and/or goes sour at any point, the coaching staff at Texas — although new — is certainly more capable of adapting.
Outside of head coach Tom Herman whom many believe is an overall better coach than Texas Tech’s Matt Wells, Texas’ two new coordinators appear to be fantastic hires. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has stated numerous times that he will adjust and adapt in order to get his best players involved.
Wells’ staff has had one winning season in the last five years of him serving as head coach. Dating back to his Utah State campaign, Wells’ only winning season was in 2018 which featured talented quarterback Jordan Love. In his first season with Texas Tech in 2019, the Red Raiders finished with a 4-8 record. Texas Tech hasn’t had a winning season in conference play since Mike Leach was fired.
Sam Ehlinger
This is a nobrainer. Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger is a game-changer who can put the team on his back if needed. He is the heartbeat of Texas’ offense and showcased a record-breaking first half of play against the UTEP Miners.
His competitive drive, leadership and physical style of play is unmatched. Ehlinger is widely considered a Heisman contender this season and is awaiting a juicy matchup with Texas Tech’s secondary.
The Red Raiders gave up 567 passing yards to Houston Baptist two weeks ago, whereas Ehlinger threw for 426 yards in one half of play against the Miners.
Pass rush
It feels unusual to say this, but Texas has a legitimate pass rush this season. Defensive coordinator Chris Ash brought a new defensive scheme to Austin that will unleash the potential of Joseph Ossai, Ta’Quon Graham and Keondre Coburn.
This may not always translate into sacks, but you can bet they’ll put pressure on the opposing quarterback and disrupt the pocket. Texas Tech gave up three sacks to Houston Baptist, i’d be surprised if the Longhorns didn’t surpass that number on Saturday.
Secondary depth
Texas is absolutely loaded with talent in the secondary, the athleticism and versatility of these defensive backs is off the charts. Each of the primary backups could easily be starters at another Power Five program.
The Red Raiders typically deploy an air raid offense, so this group will certainly be tested in Lubbock. The Longhorns held the Miners to 141 passing yards with one interception.
On top of that, Texas allowed just 61 yards after the catch against UTEP. This is a much stronger defensive unit than what the Red Raiders faced with Houston Baptist.