Here we are again, ready for another big football game between Texas Tech and BYU. Stakes are even higher this time, the Red Raiders and Cougars battling for a Big 12 Conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Talk of the rematch has been going on for some time, but the chatter hasn't been very favorable to the Cougars, who left Lubbock in early November with a 29-7 defeat, their lone setback to this point. BYU wants to avenge that loss, while Texas Tech feels it could've been an even bigger margin of victory.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBoth teams are making their first appearances in the Big 12 title game, in what each program hopes is just the first in a long line of being the conference's new powerhouse. That debate is for another day. Right now, we must focus on the game at hand.
Does BYU have a chance to get even? Or will the Red Raiders have another cakewalk on their way to the CFP?
Matchup to watch: Texas Tech football's run defense vs BYU's rushing offense
Same tale as last time, right? Pretty much. BYU hasn't changed its approach in the last month, leaning heavily on the rushing attack to get the offense going.
The majority of that comes from LJ Martin, the Big 12's regular-season rushing champion. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder out of El Paso averaged over 102 yards per game and has 1,229 yards on the ground, finding the end zone 11 times overall. He also leads the Big 12 in all-purpose yards, adding another 224 receiving yards.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMartin, though, was rendered ineffective in the last game against Texas Tech, totaling 35 yards on 10 rushing attempts. BYU mostly had to do away with the run game because of a lack of success, generating only 75 total yards on 27 rushing attempts. Likewise, quarterback Bear Bachmeier only had 12 yards on 11 carries.
BYU has to find some sort of success on the ground to have a chance to pierce the Texas Tech defense. In the first meeting, the Red Raiders got up big and forced Bachmeier into a season-high 38 pass attempts. He completed 23 for just 188 yards.
What kind of wrinkles can the Cougars throw at the likes of Jacob Rodriguez and David Bailey?
Texas Tech's David Bailey wraps up the BYU ball carrier during a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Nov. 8, at Jones AT&T Stadium.Players to watch: Texas Tech football's Caleb Douglas and BYU's Parker Kingston
Caleb Douglas has followed a similar setup this season that he had in his junior year: biding his time early, then bursting out late in the campaign.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDouglas leads Texas Tech with 53 catches for 823 yards and seven touchdowns. The bulk of that has come in the last five games, where he's collected 25 catches for 409 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was held to just 2 catches for 12 yards, but one of those was a touchdown.
On the other sideline is Parker Kingston, BYU's utility receiver who can do a bit of everything. Be it catching passes or returning kicks, Kingston has a chance to impact a game in a hurry and is someone Texas Tech has to account for.
Who has the advantage between Texas Tech football and BYU?
Texas Tech offense vs. BYU defense: Texas Tech
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBYU offense vs. Texas Tech defense: Texas Tech
The specialists: Push
Texas Tech football vs BYU in Big 12 Championship final score prediction
Texas Tech 35, BYU 14: The Cougars may feel like they didn't put up their best effort against the Red Raiders in the first meeting, but neither did Texas Tech. When each team is a bit off, it usually goes to the squad with more talent. That was the Red Raiders in Round 1, and will be the Red Raiders in Round 2.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Scouting report, prediction for Big 12 title game between Texas Tech, BYU
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