[6:00 PM] Baylor @ Texas Tech

Who will WIN this matchup?

Baylor Bears (6-4)

@ Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-7)

 

• It’s the season finale for the Red Raiders, who once entertained bowl hopes before enduring a three-game losing streak that includes a 66-10 trouncing at Iowa State on Saturday, while Baylor has lost four in a row after a 6-0 start.

• Baylor has won five straight meetings with the Red Raiders, including a 63-35 thumping last year – also in Arlington.

• The Bears lost starting quarterback Seth Russell to a fractured left ankle in a 45-24 loss at Oklahoma on Nov. 12 and freshman Zach Smith completed 27-of-45 passes for 258 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in his first start last week – a 42-21 home loss to Kansas State. “The bottom line is three turnovers, that’s a problem,” acting coach Jim Grobe told reporters. “For a freshman quarterback, all the other 10 guys needed to elevate, and I don’t think we did.” Wide receiver KD Cannon caught nine passes for 91 yards but none for touchdowns while running back Shock Linwood, who was suspended for the Oklahoma game for what Grobe called “attitude problems,” returned to gain 110 yards on 24 carries.

• Junior quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, who has been battling a shoulder injury, needs just 243 yards of total offense to become the second player in FBS history to record 5,000 in a season twice in a career. He leads the nation in passing yards (4,466) and total offense per game (430.2) and has recorded 12 rushing touchdowns to go along with 35 through the air. Jonathan Giles leads the receiving corps with 65 catches for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns while Demarcus Felton, who missed the Iowa State game with a high ankle sprain and is questionable for Friday, leads the team in rushing with 354 yards and three TDs.

• Baylor is 5-2 all-time at AT&T Stadium, scoring an average of 49.4 points in those seven games.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Baylor Bears

Confidence: 5/10

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