Here are the top five storylines leading up to this weekend as Texas Tech (3-1) plays No. 5 Baylor (3-0) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
1. Will Patrick Mahomes start? Will he play? Will he play the whole game?
Patrick Mahomes status for this weekend is probably the biggest question heading into the Red Raiders’ Saturday match-up against Baylor. Mahomes went down early in the TCU game with a left knee injury and is listed as “day-to-day.” Kliff Kingsbury told the media that Davis Webb will see more reps in practice this week in case he is needed, but until the game is underway Saturday, we won’t know what that translates to on the field.
Mahomes has been a major major part of Texas Tech’s success this season. Through four games he has completed 102 of 161 passes for 1,421 yards, 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions – good for a 63.4 completion percentage. He’s also rushed for 165 yards and five touchdowns on 29 attempts.
The sophomore has been the clear leader of this team and his teammates have rallied around him. Dating back to last year, the Red Raiders have had a chance to win practically every single game he’s been in.
Even when he was obviously hurting against TCU and far from 100 percent, Mahomes managed to complete 25 of 45 passes for 392 yards and two touchdowns, with no turnovers – against the No. 3 team in the country. That’s better numbers on a bigger stage than a lot of healthy quarterbacks ever put up.
2. If Davis Webb ends up being the guy on Saturday, what are Tech’s chances?
Webb isn’t your typical back-up quarterback that’s going to leave fans hiding under the bleachers, biting their nails or leaving the game early. Remember after the 2013 season, all signs indicated that Webb would be a four-year starter for the Red Raiders – of course, unless he left early for the NFL? Remember all the pre-season hype before 2014 about how he would be one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12? Both Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) and Michael Brewer (Virginia Tech) transferred because Webb was going to be “the guy.”
While that all was before No. 5 made it to campus, Davis Webb is still a good quarterback. Who’s to say the Red Raiders wouldn’t still be 3-1 right now if he had been No. 1 on the depth chart this season?
Mahomes does add another dimension to Texas Tech’s offense, but at this point Webb is still more experienced with 14 career starts to Mahomes’ eight. In two seasons and some change, Webb has completed 443 of 719 passes for 5,353 yards, 44 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. His experience and mental mastery of the offense should give the Red Raiders a chance, if it comes to that.
However the quarterback situation shakes out on Saturday, I expect the 2015 Red Raiders to make it a game.
3. Will Texas Tech be determined or deflated?
Texas Tech’s defense gave up 750 yards to TCU, but redeemed itself by tipping away a fourth down pass to win the game...
...until TCU running back Aaron Green just so happened to be in the right place at the right time to make a diving catch on the tipped ball and drag one toe in bounds for a touchdown. Then on the final play of the game, Tech’s multi-lateral play almost got them into the end zone, falling just 10 yards shy of the upset. Close or not, a loss is a loss and now it’s in the books and nothing can be done about it.
You were either there or saw it on TV. In terms of excitement, this was probably the most intense game Tech has been part of in seven years. Now, the Red Raiders are coming off an emotional, last-minute, home loss to the No. 3 team in the country, how will they respond?
Will they come out fired up -- having another chance against a Top 5 team – and have the fight in them to get over the hump, get in a position to pull the upset, and finish it?
Or do they go into this game discouraged and get molly-whopped by one of the best teams in the country?
4. Will this be another shoot-out?
Baylor currently has the nation’s top rushing offense with 146 rushes for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns through just three games. That comes out to 7.8 yards per carry and 379.7 yards per game averages.
The Bears’ passing offense isn’t bad either, currently ranked seventh in the nation with 62 completions in 95 attempts for 1,162 yards and 17 touchdowns to just four interceptions. Baylor is averaging more than 12 yards per attempt and more than 387 yards per game.
Add those rushing and passing totals up and the Bears are averaging 767 yards of offense per game, which is more than the Red Raiders gave up to TCU.
Defensively the Bears field the nation’s 21st passing defense and 62nd rush defense.
Texas Tech comes into this game with the nation’s fifth best passing offense with 109 completions in 175 attempts for 1,589 yards and 12 touchdowns to just three interceptions.
On the ground the Red Raiders boast the No. 48 rushing offense, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and 197 yards per game. 127 carries, 789 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Baylor should be a more complete team than TCU, due to the Frogs injuries on defense, and we should have another shoot-out on our hands.
5. Is Texas Tech catching Baylor at a good time?
The Red Raiders have played four games this year, while the Bears have just played three. Texas Tech went on the road in Fayetteville and won convincingly against an Arkansas team that was ranked No. 16 earlier this season. Then, last weekend, an upset of the nation’s No. 3 team was within their grasps until the final play.
Texas Tech is battle-tested and battle ready, with two of what should be its five toughest games already behind them. Baylor, on the other hand, has played against SMU, Lamar and Rice – three pretty easy wins.
Last season, Baylor rolled SMU, Northwestern State and Buffalo before beginning Big 12 play and having a much closer game against Iowa State, then losing to West Virginia in week seven. Will the change of pace -- going from FCS and non-BCS opponents to a hungry Texas Tech team – be enough to throw Baylor’s offensive machine out of sync? If so, can the Red Raiders capitalize?
1. Will Patrick Mahomes start? Will he play? Will he play the whole game?
Patrick Mahomes status for this weekend is probably the biggest question heading into the Red Raiders’ Saturday match-up against Baylor. Mahomes went down early in the TCU game with a left knee injury and is listed as “day-to-day.” Kliff Kingsbury told the media that Davis Webb will see more reps in practice this week in case he is needed, but until the game is underway Saturday, we won’t know what that translates to on the field.
Mahomes has been a major major part of Texas Tech’s success this season. Through four games he has completed 102 of 161 passes for 1,421 yards, 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions – good for a 63.4 completion percentage. He’s also rushed for 165 yards and five touchdowns on 29 attempts.
The sophomore has been the clear leader of this team and his teammates have rallied around him. Dating back to last year, the Red Raiders have had a chance to win practically every single game he’s been in.
Even when he was obviously hurting against TCU and far from 100 percent, Mahomes managed to complete 25 of 45 passes for 392 yards and two touchdowns, with no turnovers – against the No. 3 team in the country. That’s better numbers on a bigger stage than a lot of healthy quarterbacks ever put up.
2. If Davis Webb ends up being the guy on Saturday, what are Tech’s chances?
Webb isn’t your typical back-up quarterback that’s going to leave fans hiding under the bleachers, biting their nails or leaving the game early. Remember after the 2013 season, all signs indicated that Webb would be a four-year starter for the Red Raiders – of course, unless he left early for the NFL? Remember all the pre-season hype before 2014 about how he would be one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12? Both Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) and Michael Brewer (Virginia Tech) transferred because Webb was going to be “the guy.”
While that all was before No. 5 made it to campus, Davis Webb is still a good quarterback. Who’s to say the Red Raiders wouldn’t still be 3-1 right now if he had been No. 1 on the depth chart this season?
Mahomes does add another dimension to Texas Tech’s offense, but at this point Webb is still more experienced with 14 career starts to Mahomes’ eight. In two seasons and some change, Webb has completed 443 of 719 passes for 5,353 yards, 44 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. His experience and mental mastery of the offense should give the Red Raiders a chance, if it comes to that.
However the quarterback situation shakes out on Saturday, I expect the 2015 Red Raiders to make it a game.
3. Will Texas Tech be determined or deflated?
Texas Tech’s defense gave up 750 yards to TCU, but redeemed itself by tipping away a fourth down pass to win the game...
...until TCU running back Aaron Green just so happened to be in the right place at the right time to make a diving catch on the tipped ball and drag one toe in bounds for a touchdown. Then on the final play of the game, Tech’s multi-lateral play almost got them into the end zone, falling just 10 yards shy of the upset. Close or not, a loss is a loss and now it’s in the books and nothing can be done about it.
You were either there or saw it on TV. In terms of excitement, this was probably the most intense game Tech has been part of in seven years. Now, the Red Raiders are coming off an emotional, last-minute, home loss to the No. 3 team in the country, how will they respond?
Will they come out fired up -- having another chance against a Top 5 team – and have the fight in them to get over the hump, get in a position to pull the upset, and finish it?
Or do they go into this game discouraged and get molly-whopped by one of the best teams in the country?
4. Will this be another shoot-out?
Baylor currently has the nation’s top rushing offense with 146 rushes for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns through just three games. That comes out to 7.8 yards per carry and 379.7 yards per game averages.
The Bears’ passing offense isn’t bad either, currently ranked seventh in the nation with 62 completions in 95 attempts for 1,162 yards and 17 touchdowns to just four interceptions. Baylor is averaging more than 12 yards per attempt and more than 387 yards per game.
Add those rushing and passing totals up and the Bears are averaging 767 yards of offense per game, which is more than the Red Raiders gave up to TCU.
Defensively the Bears field the nation’s 21st passing defense and 62nd rush defense.
Texas Tech comes into this game with the nation’s fifth best passing offense with 109 completions in 175 attempts for 1,589 yards and 12 touchdowns to just three interceptions.
On the ground the Red Raiders boast the No. 48 rushing offense, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and 197 yards per game. 127 carries, 789 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Baylor should be a more complete team than TCU, due to the Frogs injuries on defense, and we should have another shoot-out on our hands.
5. Is Texas Tech catching Baylor at a good time?
The Red Raiders have played four games this year, while the Bears have just played three. Texas Tech went on the road in Fayetteville and won convincingly against an Arkansas team that was ranked No. 16 earlier this season. Then, last weekend, an upset of the nation’s No. 3 team was within their grasps until the final play.
Texas Tech is battle-tested and battle ready, with two of what should be its five toughest games already behind them. Baylor, on the other hand, has played against SMU, Lamar and Rice – three pretty easy wins.
Last season, Baylor rolled SMU, Northwestern State and Buffalo before beginning Big 12 play and having a much closer game against Iowa State, then losing to West Virginia in week seven. Will the change of pace -- going from FCS and non-BCS opponents to a hungry Texas Tech team – be enough to throw Baylor’s offensive machine out of sync? If so, can the Red Raiders capitalize?
