Baylor (2-4, 0-3 Big 12) vs. Texas Tech (5-1, 3-0), Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Texas Tech 6 1/2.
Series record: Baylor leads 41-40-1.
What’s the problem?
Texas Tech will look to continue its remarkable recovery from a tough two-game stretch to start the season. The Red Raiders have won six straight games at home, the longest since setting a school record at 12 games from 2007-2009. Baylor has lost eight straight games in the Big 12 just three years since winning the conference championship. Both teams had the day off last week. In the previous game, Texas Tech defeated Arizona State 28-22, but the Bears lost to Iowa State 43-21 despite leading 14-3 in the second quarter.
major matchups
Texas Tech RB Taj Brooks vs. Baylor’s run defense. Brooks ranks third in the nation with 135.8 rushing yards per game. The Bears ranked 13th in the Big 12 in run defense, allowing 162 yards per game.
Featured players
Baylor: QB Sawyer Robertson will play in his hometown for the first time. He was named the 2020 Texas High School Athlete of the Year at Lubbock-Coronado College. Robertson was the backup to Toledo transfer Dequan Finn until he was injured against Utah. He has eight touchdowns and three interceptions in four starts, averaging 245 passing yards per game.
Texas Tech: WR Caleb Douglas is coming off his first career 100-yard game. Against Arizona, he had five catches for 116 yards. He made a 57-yard catch late in the first half, setting up Gino Garcia’s field goal on the final play before intermission. A 32-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter put Texas Tech ahead for good, 21-19.
facts and figures
Baylor’s four losses are against teams that are a combined 20-4. …Texas Tech’s last seven wins have all been by one score. The Red Raiders are 11-3 in one-score games under coach Joey McGuire. … McGuire spent five seasons as an assistant at Baylor University, his first college job after a long career in high school in Texas. … McGuire reached 20 wins in 32 games, the fastest by a Texas Tech team since Steve Sloan was a 23-9 starter from 1975-77. … Baylor WR Josh Cameron leads the team with four touchdowns, 18 catches and 277 yards. … The Red Raiders have scored 68 points off turnovers, already the most in a season since 2017.
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Associated Press
