Texas Tech’s offense looked like it finally snapped into place against Arizona State, and the timing mattered. The Red Raiders piled up 53 points and delivered what looked like their most complete outing of the season, especially in the trenches. Whether that was the result of changes made during the open week or simply the mismatch against a struggling Arizona State team is still up for debate, but the picture around the skill spots is getting sharper.
J'Koby Williams has settled in as the lead back, Kenny Johnson has emerged as WR1, and Will Hammond turned in his best game of the season under center. Hammond also showed flashes of the running ability he flashed before last season’s ACL injury. That progression has been a major storyline all year, and his path to this point has been anything but smooth.
Some of that journey was laid out on The Program on Paramount+, which highlighted his offseason rehab and preparation. The biggest hurdle was simply getting healthy and cleared a couple of weeks before camp opened.
By then, he already knew Sorsby was gone and that the job was his. From there, it became a matter of trusting the strength of his surgically repaired knee.
Hammond had to mature fast with the weight of QB1 on his shoulders for the first time going into a season.
His play has swung up and down at different points, especially when it comes to trusting that knee, making decisions and handling pressure. But he was strong against Houston and Arizona State, and he has the benefit of plenty of Big 12 experience along with a deep group of weapons around him. He seems to understand now that the job is about protecting the football and avoiding the urge to do too much, though the real test comes on the road this week.
If Texas Tech has an edge anywhere, it’s on defense, and the linebackers are the headline act. They’ve turned into a nightmare for opposing offenses, and the numbers back it up. The Red Raiders have four pick-sixes over the last three games, all from linebackers, and they rank fifth nationally against the run, giving up just 82 yards per game.
Ben Roberts, the senior captain and 2025 Big 12 championship MVP, is the tone-setter. He’s second on the team with 39 tackles and leads the squad with six tackles for loss. He also has one sack, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups, two QB hurries and a pick six he scored last week against Arizona State.
Austin Romaine, a Kansas State transfer from last offseason, leads the team with 41 tackles. He has added three tackles for loss, two pick-sixes on back-to-back snaps, three pass breakups and a QB hurry.
Then there’s John Curry, an inside linebacker and returning starter who handles defensive coordinator Shiel Wood’s hybrid Star role. Curry is fourth on the team with 32 tackles and leads Texas Tech with three interceptions, including a pick-six against Colorado earlier this month and another interception last week. He also has 1.5 tackles for loss, three QB hurries and two pass breakups.
Stopping the run has become the program’s clear calling card. Texas Tech is the only team in the country that hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown, and its front has been central to that success.
Some of that comes down to the style of opponents, but the personnel, scheme and execution have all played a part. Around the program, it’s treated like the first rule of the operation: if the Red Raiders are going to be defined by anything, it’s that they shut down the run.
That mindset will get a real exam on the road against Cincinnati, a matchup that figures to be strength against strength.
For the game itself, the prediction is Texas Tech 31, Cincinnati 20. JC French should find some openings in play action and the short-to-intermediate passing game, but Texas Tech is expected to control the battle up front. And on offense, Cincinnati may have a hard time slowing J'Koby Williams and Terrance Carter.
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Bearcats Face A Brutal Homecoming Test They Desperately Need To Survive
Homecoming brings no soft landing for Cincinnati, which gets No. 8 Texas Tech on a weekend when the Bearcats badly need to steady themselves. The matchup comes with plenty of pressure attached after back-to-back losses, and the numbers only underline how steep the climb is. Both teams have been productive on the ground and through the air, but Cincinnati knows this one will be shaped less by reputation than by execution.
The Bearcats coaches and players have spent the week talking about the need for a clean game plan against a ranked opponent that has done a lot of things well. For Cincinnati, the challenge is not just keeping pace with a top-10 team, but finding a way to make homecoming feel like a reset instead of another step in the wrong direction. The opportunity is there, even if the margin for error feels razor thin. [Read more 🡒]