Ask head coach Joey McGuire to dream up an opportunity to display “The Brand.” He would be hard-pressed to come up with a scenario better than the one in front of his team. Wyoming humbled this Texas Tech team to open the season. A quick knee-jerk reaction would be to suggest that this team was highly overrated. However, a Texas Tech week two showdown with a top-15 team is the exact scenario for “The Brand” to take center stage. So what will it take for the Red Raiders to bounce back and spring a home upset?
Flocks of Touchdowns
The #13 Oregon Ducks have quickly shown with Dan Lanning as their head coach that they will score in bunches. Last year, Oregon averaged 38.8 points per game which was 10th best nationally. The offense, just like last year, is led by quarterback Bo Nix. He was a quarterback who flashed in three seasons at Auburn. But he often had a very Jekyll and Hyde experience, leaving Auburn fans wondering if they would get “good” or “bad” Nix. Last year, in his first season with the Ducks, Nix seemingly got rid of “bad” Nix for good. He passed for over 3,500 yards (which was over 1,000 more than his previous best season) and posted a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 29-7. To start this season, Nix effortlessly guided his team to an 81-7 victory over Portland State. However, Texas Tech’s defense should presumably provide more of a challenge.
Defense Has to Be More Physical
One thing lost in the shuffle of the Red Raiders’ defeat to the Cowboys was that the defense actually played better than it might have felt at the moment. The last play of the game is all anyone will remember, but that was more of an unbelievable play by Wyoming’s quarterback than a lapse by the defense. For the game, Tech yielded 320 yards of offense as well as forcing and recovering two fumbles. They also had six tackles for loss and two sacks. This issue was this was a Wyoming program that was never going to try to beat anyone through the air. And yet, the Red Raiders couldn’t stop Wyoming’s rushing attack. While the final numbers don’t look super impressive (44 rushes for 171 yards), it was good enough to keep control of the ball. Wyoming held the ball for just over 8 more minutes than Texas Tech did. Much like the other two phases of the game, a Texas Tech week two upset requires the defensive unit to match Oregon’s physicality. But there is one key factor that will ultimately decide the game.
It Has to Be Shough Time
Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough has a last name that is pronounced “Shuck”, but even he is on record saying the pronunciation of “Show” is fine by him. He has yet to perform well enough to consider a situation Joe Theisman found himself in. But in order to secure a Texas Tech week two victory, Shough will have to have a career game. In his now four-plus seasons as a college quarterback, he has only thrown for over 400 yards once. In 23 career games, he only passed the 300-yard mark four times. There is not a world in which Texas Tech will beat Oregon without at least 35 points.
During the Wyoming game, Shough had moments where he threw very accurate deep fade routes to several different receivers. This upcoming game has to start with feeding playmaker Jerand Bradley. The six-foot-five-inch receiver is coming off a game in which he had eight receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown. He needs two or three more plays where Shough simply asks his best receiver to make a play in a one-on-one situation. Shough is capable with his legs to make timely plays. His legs can be a very impactful changeup to put forward this week. But he has to channel his first-quarter performance against Wyoming and play that way the entire game against his former team. If Shough and the offense hit multiple speed bumps again, they won’t stand a chance.
Texas Tech Week Two Prediction
Sometimes all anyone needs to feel better is a home-cooked meal. Having a meal prepped by someone who loves you truly hits more than a physical hunger need. The friendly confines of Lubbock will rally this Red Raider team. Texas Tech will undoubtedly play better under the lights of Jones Stadium. And surely, this set up for another food pun about having duck on the menu. However, Oregon is just a more complete team. The Ducks have a legitimate Heisman contender at quarterback. They are the deeper team. The Red Raiders will look closer to a team that could challenge for the Big 12. But it still won’t be enough in what will be a highly entertaining shootout in Lubbock.
Oregon 52, Texas Tech 49
Photo courtesy: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
