Ole Miss vs Texas Tech prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. TaxAct Texas Bowl, Wednesday, December 28
Ole Miss vs Texas Tech TaxAct Texas Bowl Prediction Game Preview
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Ole Miss vs Texas Tech How To Watch
Date: Wednesday, December 28
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET
Venue: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: Ole Miss (8-4), Texas Tech (7-5)
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Ole Miss vs Texas Tech TaxAct Texas Bowl 5 Things To Know
TaxAct Texas Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
– It seems like it’s all just starting for Texas Tech. Head coach Joey McGuire came up with a good first run, the team got on a roll in the final three games to get here – beating Oklahoma in the regular season finale was fun – and now it’s got a chance to make a big statement going into what should be an interesting offseason.
The offense should crank up even more, the weapons are still around, and the team should put a giant number on the board against a questionable Ole Miss defense.
– Talk about transitional phases, Ole Miss is undergoing some massive changes when it comes to the depth, but considering all of the players who jumped into the transfer portal, there aren’t many killer departures.
The team comes in on a rough three game losing streak and with the seven game winning run to start the season well in the rearview mirror. Whatever – the offense is a blast, the ground game is among the best in America, and the will should be there because …
– Ole Miss was a dud in last year’s Sugar Bowl loss to Baylor after then-QB Matt Corral got hurt. The 21-7 loss was a bit for one of the best bowl programs going over the last 30 years, going 14-4 since losing the 1990 Gator to Michigan. Since 1968, Ole Miss is 19-6 in bowls.
– Going back to the run under the late Mike Leach, Texas Tech is also fantastic in these things. going 10-4 since taking down Clemson in the 2002 Tangerine. Last year’s team crushed Leach’s Mississippi State squad in a 34-7 Liberty Bowl win, but this is the first time up for McGuire. Win, and it’ll be the program’s first eight-win season since 2013 under Kliff Kingsbury.
– The Texas Bowl is relatively new, starting out in 2006, and it needs a good one. Terrific for a few years – with three of the four from 2016 to 2019 decided by a touchdown or less. The 2020 version was sacked thanks to COVID, and last year’s game was a total disaster with players wearing LSU uniforms – but hardly the team that played through the season – getting destroyed by Kansas State 42-20.
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Why Ole Miss Will Win The TaxAct Texas Bowl
Run, run, and run some more.
Quinshon Johnson came up with a massive freshman season with close to 1,500 yards and 16 scores, and with QB Jaxson Dart adding some pop on the ground. The Rebels lost to Arkansas even though it ripped off 463 rushing yards, but they’re 6-1 overall when running for 200 yards or more.
The Texas Tech run defense isn’t bad – the D generates a whole lot of plays behind the line – but there’s a problem when it struggles. The team is 1-3 when giving up more than 210 rushing yards – Ole Miss should get there.
On the other side, there’s just enough of a pass rush to keep Texas Tech QB Tyler Shough from getting comfortable. The Rebels are used to getting thrown on and it usually doesn’t matter – it’s the cost of doing business for this team to give up yards against teams trying to keep up.
But …
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Why Texas Tech Will Win The TaxAct Texas Bowl
Here comes the Texas Tech passing game.
Tyler Shough has all the NFL pro passing talent the offense could want, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. It’s his show now with Donovan Smith transferring and Behren Morton hurt, and he showed what he could do with 436 yards and two scores in the shootout win over Oklahoma.
The Red Raiders don’t have to throw to win, but it certainly helps. They don’t necessarily care about the time of possession battle, but they don’t operate at warp speed.
Ole Miss – even with its running game – wants to go fast, fast, fast, but in this, the Red Raiders should be able to maintain control throughout. That’s going to matter.
There’s one big problem, though.
TaxAct Texas Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History