The Texas Tech Red Raiders are home in Week 11 taking on the BYU Cougars in a match up between two teams with plans to play for a Big 12 Championship. The Red Raiders are 8-1 and are coming off a big win over Kansas State. Meantime, the BYU Cougars are 8-0 overall and are fresh off a bye week.
Texas Tech is favored by 10.5 points, and the over/under is set at 52.5 points. Here are two key players to watch in this game, followed by the top storylines for each team, and a prediction from Heartland College Sports.
Two Key Players to Watch
Bear Bachmeier, BYU Quarterback
The true freshman quarterback seemingly gets better with each passing week. But this will be his toughest defensive test yet against a Texas Tech defense that is No. 1 in the Big 12 in scoring defense, total yards and sacks. However, Bachmeier has two of his best wins of the season the last two games out, beating Utah and Iowa State, with a QBR of 90.9 and 83.6, while throwing three touchdowns, zero interceptions, and running for two scores.
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech Linebacker
Rodriguez is the leader on the top defense in the Big 12, and he’s been on an absolute heater. He had two forced fumbles last week vs. Kansas State and has five over his last three games. He’s also fourth in the Big 12 with 77 tackles over nine games played. The Red Raiders are absolutely reliant on him being the leader of this top-ranked defense.
Top Storylines
Who Makes the Big Play for BYU?
If BYU is going to go on the road and win this game as a sizable underdog, it will be a huge play from Bear Bachmeier, LJ Martin, a big defensive turnover, or something on special teams that will flip this game in BYU’s favor and they’ll use that momentum to a road win. Two weeks ago vs. Iowa State, after LJ Martin went down with an injury, it was wide receiver Parker Kingston who stepped up and finished with seven catches for 133 yards and two scores. BYU needs that kind of performance from a key player to go on the road and win this game.
Keep Bear Bachmeier Contained
This is what Texas Tech’s defense, led by Rodriguez, David Bailey, and company, need to do this week to win the game. It will be the toughest test yet for the true freshman quarterback, who is getting better and more confident by the week. However, he also hasn’t seen a defense like this Red Raiders unit. Stop his running game first, and while he’s become a better passer with each passing week, I believe you still want to make him beat you with his arm.
Prediction: Texas Tech 27, BYU 26
The Red Raiders are home with College GameDay in town in the biggest game in Lubbock in well over a decade. Tech is back to firing on all cylinders. BYU wants to use its running game first, like Utah, and we know how that Tech-Utah game went, with the Red Raiders rolling to a huge win earlier this season. Tech’s rush defense is giving up 75 ypg, which is 45 yards better per game than any other team in the Big 12. The line is begging you to take BYU. And maybe I’m a sucker, but I am going to do it! It’s too many points.
