TTU Red Raiders Look For Bounce-Back Win vs OU Sooners
After losing their game and head coach last week, the Red Raiders will look for a bounce-back win vs. OU. The game is slated to be played on Saturday, October 30th at 2:30 in Norman, Oklahoma, at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Sooners are coming into the game with an 8-0 record and ranked No. 4 in the country but have been inconsistent throughout the season.
Players to Keep an Eye On
With the Sooners having one of the best football programs in the country in recent years, they have no shortage of big-time players. While having a plethora of four and five stars, the Red Raiders will have their hands full heading into Saturday.
Quarterback
The leader for the Sooners has been questionable this season, but the leader at the moment is freshman quarterback Caleb Williams. Standing at 6’1” and 218 pounds, Williams took over the offense from Spencer Rattler and has been phenomenal ever since. With 55 completions on just 79 attempts and a single interception, he has proven that he can lead the Sooners both on the ground and through the air.
Running Back
The leading rusher for OU is Kennedy Brooks, who has 767 rushing yards on just 123 attempts. With nine touchdowns on the season, Brooks is not looking to slow down and will be a big problem for the Red Raiders.
Receivers
One of the stronger sides of the Sooner football team this year is their receiving core. With four players with 200 plus receiving yards and three of them active, they’re going to be a problem for the Red Raiders. Leading Oklahoma in yards receiving this season is Marvin Mims, who has just 22 receptions for 470 yards. Along with two touchdowns, a 52-yard long, and a 21.4 yards per catch average, Mims is a serious problem.
The next receiver for the Sooners is Michael Woods II, who falls in between the two other receivers. With 25-catches for 294 yards and averaging 11.8 yards per catch along with two touchdowns if not checked, Woods could be a serious problem.
The receiver with the most catches on the season is Jason Haselwood, who has 30 catches for 276 yards. While Haselwood may not have many yards, he makes the short passing game run and has one of the fastest first two steps on the team. Haselwood excels past the other two in his red-zone presence, with six touchdowns on the season. The Red Raider linebacker core will need to keep an eye on Haselwood and limit his receptions.
Defensively
Many argue that the Big 12 Conference does not have any formidable defense. But for the first time in awhile the Sooners have a solid defense this year. This year they are led by Pat Fields, who leads the team in tackles. With 33 solo tackles and 15 assists for a combined 48 tackles on the season at the safety position. The Red Raiders will need to do their best to keep the ball away from his direction.
Brian Asamoah is the next leading tackler for the Sooner, with just one less than fields at 47. Asamoah plays linebacker for the Sooners and has 31 solo tackles and 16 assists on the season. Playing at both the line and keeping up with receivers in the secondary, Asamoah will be a target for the Red Raiders.
Keys to Victory
The Red Raiders are going to have their hands full Saturday. But this game could be one to steal from the Sooners. While the Sooners may have played eight games, six of those have come down to the final minutes for them to win just by a touchdown.
If Texas Tech is going to stay in the game, they will need to limit big-time plays from the Sooners offense. On the other side of things, they will also need to limit turnovers to keep Oklahoma from having the chance to score.
If they get to the final minutes where the game is close, the Red Raiders will have to close out. If they are able to do so, they will hand the Sooners their first loss of the season. Along with being a big win for newly appointed Interim Head Coach Sonny Cumbie.
Overall
Overall, the Red Raiders will look for a bounce-back win vs. OU. The team will have their hands full in this matchup. But with the Sooners having many close calls, this weekend, a win is more than plausible. The game is slated to be played on Saturday, October 30th at 2:30 in Norman, Oklahoma, at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Tickets are still available for the game at TexasTech.com or watch on ABC and Texas Tech Sports Network.
For last weeks football recap click here!
For Texas Tech Football’s entire schedule click here!
Story by Campus Live Employee Trinity Porter