#1 Texas at #7 Texas Tech - Game Summary Breakdown

Offense - Texas Longhorns
Everything centers around the athletic play involving Colt McCoy, nevertheless it's not always everything regarding his passing game. He is a mobile quarterback and with uses of 32 pass attempts per activity and 40 goes per game (some of these are McCoy scrambling intended for yardage), Texas offers one of the best balances of run and go within the nation. Plus this is the key. Because a defense, the sole possible way you may beat Texas is usually to confuse the unpleasant line with different blitz packages, get away the work early, and consist of McCoy when they gets flushed away of the pocket. The phrase, "You can't stop these people, you can only wish to contain these people, " applies right here.

Offense - Tx Tech Red Raiders
Graham Harrell and even Michael Crabtree are usually the most dangerous set in the whole league, with each players on typically the Heisman list, and even deservedly so. Tech's offense is finally in points each game, 2nd within yards per game, 1st in go away yards per video game, and 1st inside receptions per sport. But Tech fans have seen offensive numbers like this kind of before. What makes this Mike Leach Texas Tech team so special is usually that even although they only hurry 25 times per game (3rd in order to last inside the country), they are nonetheless putting up 138 rushing yards each game. It is usually in this picture that lies the key to Tech winning this game. In the first half, if Texas Tech is able to keep the Texas security honest with just a few good runs, the particular passing game will stay open long good enough to maintain the sport close. Retain it in close proximity, and I genuinely believe Texas Technology has the high hand with really dominant power-offense.

Defense - Texas Longhorns
The defensive front side for the Longhorns may be the particular best they've ever had. Orakpo, Harrisburg, Miller, and Melton (doesn't that seem like a law organization? ) have got a combined 25. 5 takes up for loss ensuing in a full of 118 yards they own cost opposing teams. Deeper compared to that, however, when this team features a weakness, it does not take secondary. They have only 5 interceptions within the year and have quit 335 completing yards per game. Granted, they participate in in the pass-happy Big 12, but they have not confronted as dominant the duo as Harrell and Crabtree. Stress on Harrell can definitely be key element, but during a single of the most challenging offensive lines throughout football won't become easy. If Harrell has time and energy to go, his wide receivers will find ways to get open along with the Texas secondary will finally be subjected for what that is.

Defense : Texas Tech Purple Raiders
Texas Technical will not end up being able to stop Texas like Oklahoma Point out did, but using an offense like the Red Raiders possess, it may not necessarily matter. Several big stops will be key. Since getting Arizona to third down may happen seldom, stopping McCoy throughout these situations is usually going to become huge. Watch for the Texas Tech supplementary to key on Jordan Shipley, Texas' big-time wide recipient, especially in the particular Red Zone. In case they can include the receivers, Tech's spy on McCoy better not lose hold and also the coverage is just not matter.read more , by simply the way, offers 14 takeaways within the season, good with regard to 3rd in the particular country. If that they could get a couple more against Colt "80% completion percentage" McCoy, they shall be in pretty good shape.

Special Teams:
Tx definitely has the upper-hand in the punt game (if anyone ever punts), but I no longer think punting will likely be a factor in this game at all. Field position will be determined more by typically the returns than the moves, and most most likely, kick returns as opposed to punt returns. Within the kick return group, the two groups from the Lonestar State are almost lifeless despite Texas getting a better kick return average by simply four-tenths of your stage. And so, short and sweet, unless of course a punt or even field block arises, special teams genuinely shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Key Matchups:
SOBRE Brian Orakpo or LT Rylan Reed
This will turn out to be THE matchup associated with the game, since nobody this year has become able in order to stop Orakpo. Nevertheless nobody is The state of texas Tech, either, and even Reed is one of the finest in the video game. This can be a kind associated with battle that you just constantly hear announcers state is won "in the trenches, very well which, for those of you who else may not have it, is a conflict metaphor. This may be a mini-war in the midst of a major war.

WR Jordan Crabtree vs. The Entire Texas Second
It will acquire the entire secondary, functioning together, communicating properly, and constantly in motion to perhaps begin to contain what is could be the most effective talent the wide receiver placement has ever seen. An announcer last week compared your pet to Larry Fitzgerald, which I think is apt... however for the Longhorns.

QB Colt McCoy versus QB Graham Harrell
Though they are not directly battling on the particular field, both regarding these incredible talents will have some sort of national stage inside which to highlight their talents... plus the winner might just end up having home the Heisman. Whichever quarterback is the winner this game certainly has got the upper-hand within the race.

Ksquared Prediction:
Here many of us go: two large Big 12 groups, two great coaches, two powerhouse crimes, and three Heisman candidates. Orakpo plus the Texas D-line will have to be able to get pressure on Harrell in order to halt the Red Raider offense and the Technical senior duo of McBath and Charbonnet will need to bring down an interception or maybe more to keep McCoy on his foot. If either quarterback completes over 74% of his passes and finds stitches throughout the video game, the other team will suffer. Though criminal offense will be the specialty found in this game, defense is the key. Since it comes lower the stretch in to the fourth quarter, I expect Technology to be lower by the touchdown or so, but their pass-first persona will assist it's purpose perfectly as they go their way to be able to a come-from-behind victory.