TCU and Texas Tech have a midweek meeting for their rivalry game in a season gone awry for both
Texas Tech's quarterback Jake Strong (17) hands the ball off to running back Tahj Brooks (28) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against BYU, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Provo, Utah. Credit: AP/Rick Bowmer
TCU (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) at Texas Tech (3-5, 2-3), 7 p.m. ET Thursday (FS1)
Line: Texas Tech by 3, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Texas Tech leads 32-30-3.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Saddle Trophy, which was renewed in 2017 after going away in the early 1970s. A rivalry win would be a boost for either team in a season gone awry for both. TCU has won the last four games in the series. Both teams had an open date last Saturday. TCU, last season's national runner-up, is coming off a 41-3 loss at Kansas State in a rematch of last year's Big 12 title game that was the Horned Frogs' third loss in four games. The Red Raiders lost to K-State and BYU their last two games. Texas Tech went 8-5 in coach Joey McGuire's debut last season.
KEY MATCHUP
Two of the Big 12's top running backs, Texas Tech's Tahj Brooks and TCU's Emani Bailey. Both have five 100-yard rushing games. Brooks is third in the league with 110.9 yards per game, and Bailey is fourth with 106.4 yards per game. Texas Tech allows 147.3 yards rushing per game, while the Horned Frogs give up 148.8 on the ground.
TCU running back Emani Bailey (9) is tackled by Kansas State safety Kobe Savage (2) and Kansas State cornerback Keenan Garber (1) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Manhattan, Kan. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel
PLAYERS TO WATCH
TCU: Redshirt freshman QB Josh Hoover in his third start. He was 37 of 58 passing for 439 yards and four touchdowns in his first start against BYU, and followed that by going 23 of 43 for 187 yards without a score against the Wildcats.
Texas Tech: Freshman linebacker Ben Roberts has a team-leading 66 tackles, including 10 or more in five of the past seven games since moving into a starting role.
FACTS & FIGURES
TCU coach Sonny Dykes is the son of the late Spike Dykes, who took over as Tech's head coach in the 1986 Independence Bowl and stayed through the 1999 season. The younger Dykes was a Red Raiders assistant coach from 2000-06 and hasn't coached a game in Lubbock since then. ... TCU has the fastest-tempo offense among Power Five programs, running 2.81 plays per minute. Texas Tech is third at 2.68. ... The Red Raiders are 3-0 against teams from Texas (Tarleton, Houston and Baylor), with all five of their losses against out-of-state teams. ... TCU leads the Big 12 with 20 sacks.
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