It's been a long two weeks for the Texas Tech since their shocking upset of Oklahoma, with the Red Raiders losing by a combined score of 93-27 to Iowa State and Texas.
So it's not a huge surprise that 5-4 Texas Tech is a +19.5 home underdog against the undefeated No. 2 Oklahoma State Cowboys.
While coach Tommy Tuberville was hailed as a defensive mastermind when he came to Lubbock, his defense has collapsed in the last two weeks. Both the Longhorns and Cyclones feature somewhat one-dimensional run-heavy attacks to protect their underclassmen QB's, yet they still combined to rush for 837 yards against the Red Raiders.
The one bit of good news for Tech defensively is that the Cowboys, who like to spread out defenses with a high-flying aerial attack, are more similar to the finesse Sooners offense.
Offensively, huge early deficits have forced the Red Raiders to become completely one-dimensional.
Outside of the disastrous Iowa State game, junior QB Seth Doege has played well, completing 68.1% of his passes and throwing for 3,160 yards with 24 TD's and only 6 INT's this season. On the ground, Tech has been unable to replace junior RB Eric Stephens, who was averaging 5.2 yards a carry before injuring his knee against Texas A&M on Oct. 8.
Oklahoma State's defense has given up a lot of yards this season, but they've also been able to create turnovers and short fields for their explosive offense. The Red Raiders will need to play a mistake-free game of football if they have any chance of pulling an upset that would rock the college football landscape.
With both offenses likely to air it out, the odds-makers are projecting the game Saturday to be a high-scoring contest, with an over/under of 78 points.
The game will be televised regionally on ABC at 11 AM.
For in-depth analysis on Texas Tech, check out Double T Nation, and for the latest news and notes on Oklahoma State, head on over to Cowboys Ride For Free.