Some early-season games mean a batch much than others, not conscionable successful presumption of the College Football Playoff, the polls oregon the standings, but besides successful helping america larn what teams truly are.
Friday night’s Houston-Texas Tech crippled encompasses each of those things. It could beryllium highly important successful the CFP picture, but it volition beryllium particularly adjuvant successful determining whether the Cougars are acceptable to marque the leap immoderate expect.
VSiN, The Sports Betting Network
Neither squad has been tested overmuch up of this Top 25 matchup, but they bash person a communal hostile successful Oregon State, for immoderate that’s worth. Houston bushed the Beavers 33-20 astatine home, and the Red Raiders went to Corvallis and won 35-24. Otherwise, Houston pummeled FCS hostile Southern, and Texas Tech received much absorption from FCS hostile Abilene Christian successful a 33-10 victory, coming obscurity adjacent to covering the 45½-point spread.
The biggest question that needs to beryllium answered is what we tin expect from the Red Raiders’ discourtesy arsenic the play progresses. It’s wide they didn’t person a ton of assurance successful Will Hammond, arsenic apical transportation backmost Brendan Sorsby was a precise aboriginal people for Joey McGuire and his staff. As it turns out, Sorsby was similar a batch of college-age students and engaged successful sports betting, but helium committed the cardinal misdeed of betting connected assemblage shot games involving his team.
Texas Tech averaged 4.65 yards per play against Oregon State, a squad against which Houston averaged 7.4. In fact, the Red Raiders were outgained by astir 140 yards this past week and had less explosive plays. The large differences betwixt the 2 offenses were backmost play and play selection.
Oregon State backmost Braden Atkinson completed 31 of 51 passes for 413 yards, portion Hammond was 20 of 27 for 189 yards. The Red Raiders ran 47 times for lone 155 yards, an mean of 3.3 yards per carry, and Hammond was sacked 4 times. The violative enactment didn’t get overmuch of a push.
Meanwhile, Conner Weigman has been sacked lone once. Houston has relied heavy connected the run, averaging amended than 7 yards per transportation connected 86 attempts. Weigman has completed 69 percent of his passes with a 4-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Atkinson threw for 376 yards against the Cougars, but Houston had a overmuch amended violative showing, averaging 5.6 yards per transportation and gaining much than 300 passing yards connected conscionable 20 completions.
Based connected that communal opponent, it appears Houston’s violative enactment has gotten much propulsion aboriginal successful the season, but some walk defenses person had issues. The Beavers averaged 8 yards per walk effort against the Red Raiders and 7.8 against the Cougars. Both secondaries volition request to tighten up here.
Last season’s crippled had plentifulness of intrigue, arsenic Houston and Texas Tech some entered 4-0. The Red Raiders were coming disconnected a bye week aft demolishing Utah successful Salt Lake City. To accidental Texas Tech was ascendant would beryllium an understatement. The Red Raiders bushed the Cougars 35-11, outgained them by astir 300 yards, won the turnover battle, had much than doubly arsenic galore archetypal downs and pitched a second-half shutout.
However, determination are immoderate antithetic faces now. Houston didn’t person moving backs Makhi Hughes oregon Re’Shaun Sanford II, some of whom person surpassed 100 rushing yards this season. Weigman near the crippled with an upper-body wounded successful the 2nd 4th and did not return. Backup Zeon Chriss-Gremillion completed 5 of 13 passes for 93 yards.
On the different side, Behren Morton started and completed 28 of 40 passes for 345 yards and a touchdown. Jacob Rodriguez led the squad with 8 tackles, including 2 for loss, and added 2 walk breakups. David Bailey had 2 sacks. Texas Tech besides made 5 of 7 field-goal attempts, arsenic it created scoring opportunities but inactive near points connected the field.
Last season’s enactment was Texas Tech minus-13 connected the road, and the Red Raiders covered with comparative ease. This year’s enactment is successful the azygous digits with Texas Tech astatine home.
Clearly, we’ve seen important market-rating adjustments for some teams. As of now, it looks similar excessively overmuch of an accommodation to me. I person Texas Tech minus-10.5 successful my powerfulness ratings.
Cameron Dickey is averaging lone 2.8 yards per transportation for the Red Raiders aft rushing for much than 1,100 yards past season. J’Koby Williams looks good, and Hammond played a batch past season.
I’ll springiness McGuire and his unit the payment of the uncertainty and presume they’ll get much superior now.
Pick: Texas Tech -8
English (US)·