Texas Tech Football Notebook: Oregon Game Day Links

GAME THINGS
Texas Tech Red Raiders (0-1, 0-0)
Oregon Ducks (1-0, 0-0)
September 9th @ 6:00 p.m.
Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas
Oregon -6.5
FOX | FOX Sports
98, Mostly Sunny.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams – Don Williams: Why Texas Tech football played at Wyoming and the six-figure economics of non-conference games:

The two schools amended the agreement during the Covid summer of 2020, moving the Cowboys’ trip to Lubbock from Sept. 12, 2020, to Sept. 16, 2028.

Back in 2013, Wyoming didn’t pose a threat, but no one knew how the Cowboys would look in 10 years. Regardless, Tech AD Kirby Hocutt looks to schedule one opponent from the power-five in non-conference play, as mandated by the Big 12, plus one group-of-five team and one FCS.

This week, Ole Miss plays at Tulane and UCLA visits San Diego State. Next week, Wake Forest goes to Old Dominion; Iowa State visits Ohio; Alabama leaves Bryant-Denny Stadium to play at South Florida; Kansas goes to Nevada; and Oklahoma does Tulsa the favor of playing there.

Tech likes to play other Texas schools in non-conference games for fans’ convenience and the perceived recruiting benefits. Sometimes, it lets its players and fans see another part of the country. It’s OK to challenge yourself.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Nathan Giese – Texas Tech football vs. Oregon: Scouting report, predictions:

When Texas Tech football runs
Zach Kittley called Tech’s rushing attack against Wyoming “pathetic,” and he’s right. The revamped offensive line produced 93 rushing yards and 2.8 yards a carry. Tahj Brooks, who has averaged 5.0 yards a carry for his career, only carved out 3.5 yards an attempt. Even in a blowout win over a mid-tier FCS team, Oregon surrendered 4.0 yards a carry against Portland State, just below last year’s season average of 4.3.
Advantage: Even

Red Raider Sports’ Jarrett Ramirez – Tech looks for resounding response against Oregon:

Oregon is loaded across all aspects of the offense. At signal caller, the Ducks are led by a potential Heisman candidate in Bo Nix. Now in his fifth season of college football, Nix has accumulated over 11,000 yards through the air in his collegiate career. Standing next to Nix in the back field will be a combination of running backs. Bucky Irving will likely get the majority of snaps. A shifty back, Irving only took four carries against Portland State, racking up 119 yards and two touchdowns in the process. Noah Whittington, another elusive runner, could also be an option for the Ducks Saturday night. Wide receiver is a position of emphasis, as it is one of Oregon’s deepest position rooms. That group is led by Troy Franklin, the Ducks’ leading receiver a year ago. Transfers Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden and Gary Bryant round out the core of the group, with talented freshman and former five star recruit Jurrion Dickey adding depth. Against Portland State, Franklin and Bryant combined for 14 catches, 206 yards and four touchdowns.

Red Raider Sports’ Julio Gonzales, Jr. – The Recruiting Six-Pack: Visitors expected to be in town for Oregon game:

Cedric Lott. Wide receiver, Mesquite, TX. (Horn HS). 5.5 three-star WR.

Cedric Lott committed to Boston College at the end of June, but the Red Raiders have been recruiting hard and making him a priority. He was another recruit who was down for the pool day in July and was offered that day. Last week, Lott had three receptions for 100 yards and three touchdowns in the Jaguars 38-13 win over Arlington (Bowie). His quarterback is Legend Bey, who picked up his first offer from the Red Raiders last June.

GoDucks’ Rob Moseley – 5 THINGS TO WATCH: TEXAS TECH:

3. What does the Oregon rushing game have in store for an encore after a dominant season opener?

Playing behind a new-look offensive line, and with Noah Whittington unavailable offensively last week, the Ducks still ran for 348 yards and seven touchdowns. Jordan James scored three times and Bucky Irving averaged 29.8 yards per carry, with two touchdown runs longer than 50 yards.

It’ll be a different challenge this week.

“Texas Tech has a really good interior on their defensive line, they have good edges, so that’s going to be a good challenge for us — moving bodies up front,” Lanning said. “Our backs are certainly talented enough to do it, but we have to go in there with the right approach.”

Midland Reporter-Telegram’s Oscar LeRoy – LEROY: Texas Tech needs to shake off loss in time for No. 13 Oregon:

The Ducks are coming off an 81-7 home blowout of Portland State and have several NFL prospects on the roster, led by quarterback Bo Nix. The Ducks also have a playmaking running back in Bucky Irving, a playmaking receiver in Troy Franklin and a disruptive defensive lineman in Brandon Dorlus.

Oregon is favored by about 6.5 that is about as expected, even though Texas Tech has been a much better home team than they have been on the road, especially under second-year head coach Joey McGuire.

If there was a time that the Red Raiders are going to follow McGuire’s “What’s Next” mantra, it would be this week.

“The message is don’t let Wyoming beat you twice,” McGuire said. “No matter what happens Saturday, we can’t allow last Saturday to affect us, other than learn from it.”

Action Network’s Brad Cunningham – Oregon vs Texas Tech Odds, Picks, Prediction | College Football Betting Preview (Saturday, Sept. 9):

This is a revenge game for Shough, who transferred to Texas Tech after getting beat out for the starting job at Oregon.

Nix and the Oregon offense are a dangerous combination, but Texas Tech being above-average in Passing Success Rate Allowed and EPA/Pass Allowed is a good match — especially when Nix isn’t able to take advantage of the Red Raiders’ one weakness last year, which is giving up chunk plays in the passing game.

The Texas Tech offense should start to show improvements in Year 2 of Kittley’s offensive system. That’s especially the case when going up against a defense that was quite frankly terrible.

This is a classic situational spot to buy low on the Red Raiders at home when they’re coming off an embarrassing loss. I like Texas Tech at +6.5 or better.

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