Kansas State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) at Texas Tech (3-3, 2-1), 7 p.m. ET Saturday (FS1) Line: Texas Tech by…
Kansas State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) at Texas Tech (3-3, 2-1), 7 p.m. ET Saturday (FS1)
Line: Texas Tech by 1 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Kansas State leads 14-9.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Texas Tech will try to win its third consecutive Big 12 game since a disappointing 1-3 start to coach Joey McGuire’s second season. The defending conference champion Wildcats, who have a seven-game winning streak in the series, are on the road for the second week in a row. K-State is coming off a 29-21 loss at Oklahoma State, a team the Wildcats beat 48-0 last season.
KEY MATCHUP Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks against the Kansas State rushing defense. Brooks has four consecutive 100-yard rushing games, including career highs with 31 carries for 170 yards in a win last week at Baylor. He is third in the Big 12 and fifth nationally averaging 114.7 yards rushing per game. The Wildcats have allowed only 93.4 yards rushing per game, best in the Big 12. Brooks has faced K-State three times, and was limited to 72 yards on 15 carries combined in those three games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas State: Senior linebacker Austin Moore leads the Wildcats with 30 tackles. Those include 7 1/2 tackles for loss, and he is third in the Big 12 with 1 1/2 per game.
Texas Tech: Sophomore quarterback Behren Morton has completed 68.7% of his passes (33 of 49) for 341 yards and five touchdowns while starting the last two games for injured Tyler Shough. It is the first time since 1999 that the Red Raiders have won consecutive Big 12 games when throwing for under 200 yards in each game.
FACTS & FIGURES
Kansas State’s streak of 10 consecutive Big 12 games was snapped when the Wildcats finished with 372 last week against Oklahoma State. … The three teams the Red Raiders have lost to this season have a combined 14-2 record. … No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 9 Texas, who are leaving next season for the SEC, are the only teams with more Big 12 wins than Kansas State has since the league began play in 1996. … The Wildcats are seventh nationally with 8.6 tackles for loss per game. … Texas Tech had 11 TFLs last week against Baylor, holding the Bears to 17 rushing yards. The only Big 12 opponent the Red Raiders allowed fewer rushing yards to was Kansas in 2011 (11 yards).
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