Texas Tech has spent their bye week having to move on from a golden opportunity against Colorado. While the Red Raiders still aren’t mathematically eliminated yet, just like anyone holding a Powerball ticket still could win, the end of the season now is motivated by pride. This is the first time in the Joey McGuire era that Texas Tech had major Big 12 implications on the line in November and now they are gone. However, a Texas Tech week 13 showdown with Oklahoma State has the opportunity to show that this team will not coast to the finish line.
Big Day For Brooks Ahead?
The last time the Red Raiders were on the field, Tahj Brooks became the school’s all-time career rushing leader. He is the only running back in a Power Four conference that has rushed for 100+ yards in every game he has played. This Texas Tech week 13 matchup against this dreadful Oklahoma State defense could produce Brooks’ best game of the season. Since losing to Utah 22-19, the opponents have scored exactly 42 two times and 38 points four times. Mike Gundy’s defense is weakest at defending the run as they are second-to-last in all of FBS against the run. They are allowing an average of 240.8 yards per game. A matchup like this should allow Brooks to pad his gap from any future running backs from surpassing his record.
Pass Defense Needs To Make Life Difficult
One of the strangest parts of this skid by Oklahoma State is their inability to run the ball after getting Ollie Gordon to return for one last season. But even with the lack of a rushing game, the passing attack on paper, appears decent. However, that stat is inflated from their non-conference play. Oklahoma State is 3-2 when throwing for more than 240 yards and 0-5 when throwing for fewer. So the only time they cleared 240 passing yards was against South Dakota State, Arkansas, and Tulsa. But if Oklahoma State was ever going to find a get-right game passing the ball, Texas Tech would be who they would want. The Red Raiders rank 132nd in pass defense. On top of that, Alan Bowman would love nothing more than to take down the program where he started his career. It was so long ago that Bowman played for the Red Raiders, Kliff Kingsbury was the coach when he played as a Red Raider.
The Texas Tech defense does have a playmaker that has individual performances that catapulted this team to victory. Jacob Rodriguez is averaging 11.4 tackles per game, which is the best in the Big 12. That average also ranks fourth in all of the FBS. He leads a defense that has shown major improvement in pressuring the quarterback in their last two games. As long as this defense should be able to heat up Bowman just a little in the pocket, it should result in some turnovers and keep the offense limited.
Which Team Will Show Up In This Texas Tech Week 13 Road Finale?
At first glance, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher that this Texas Tech week 13 game against a team with three wins is only a three-point favorite. But those who have been watching Texas Tech know this team has been wildly unpredictable. After holding on in overtime against an FCS foe, the Red Raiders suffered a loss against Washington State where they looked sloppy from the opening kickoff. But then, they quickly flushed that performance and steamrolled a solid North Texas team the following week. Coming out of a bye week, the Red Raiders were blown out by Baylor and coughed up a second-half lead against TCU. Last Word challenged this team to respond the following week against Iowa State and they responded with possibly its biggest win of the season.
Now, the Red Raiders are facing the worst Oklahoma State team in the last 20 years. Texas Tech has lost the last three of four games. So this should be a cakewalk, right? Especially since the Pokes have not entered a game with Texas Tech unranked since 2007. Well, recent history and 2007 history suggest not to count those tortillas before they finish cooking. Texas Tech was the favorite in that ’07 matchup in Stillwater. But Oklahoma State won that game 49-45 and it also delivered us the infamous “I’M A MAN” post-game rant. Texas Tech has two wins over 8-2 opponents, but this spread indicates Vegas thinks they are a fluke.
Texas Tech Week 13 Prediction
These two teams have produced several big-time shootouts in recent years. In fact, the two schools have combined for at least 70 points in nine of the past 11 meetings. The two schools have combined for 50 or more points in 12 of the past 13 meetings. The only time fans were not privileged to a shootout was in 2021 when Oklahoma State won 23-0 in Lubbock. Both of these defenses have plenty of deficiencies so there is no reason this game won’t produce plenty of points. It’s just a matter of whether Texas Tech can be the team that officially gets Oklahoma State to throw in the towel.
Some from Oklahoma State might say this team already has given it has lost its last two games by a combined score of 80-34. But it is senior day in Stillwater, so maybe this Oklahoma State team has one last fight in them.
Texas Tech 42, Oklahoma State 31
