Texas Tech heads into Week 5 still unbeaten, but the Red Raiders haven’t exactly looked like the runaway Big 12 favorite plenty expected before the season. Even so, the No. 12 team in the country is 4-0, and that perfect record gets tested on the road against Colorado, which comes in at 2-2.
The biggest question for Texas Tech is whether Will Hammond can clean up the mistakes that have followed him early on. He has completed 69% of his passes and is averaging 8.3 yards per throw, but the touchdown-to-interception ratio has been rough: four scores and five picks. That production has come against much weaker competition, and the Red Raiders know that kind of turnover problem won’t hold up if they want to stay in the Big 12 race.
Colorado, though, is not a team worth backing in this matchup either. The Buffaloes rank 79th in adjusted net EPA per play and sit at -3.3% in net success rate. Their 41-7 loss to Northwestern only sharpened the concern, and now they’re facing a Texas Tech team that looks clearly stronger even when it isn’t firing on all cylinders.
There’s at least a reason to think the Red Raiders are moving in the right direction. Last week’s near-perfect showing against Sam Houston State suggested some of the early issues can be ironed out.
Texas Tech is currently 17th in the nation in net adjusted EPA per play, and that’s enough to make the Red Raiders the side to trust here. The pick is Texas Tech to lay the points.
In Other News...
Colorado Suddenly Faces A Linebacker Problem Deion Sanders Must Solve
Colorados linebacker room took a hit in Week 4 when Tyler Martinez went down with a lower-leg injury against Baylor, and Deion Sanders said the injury could end his season. The timing matters for a Buffaloes defense that has already had to adjust on the fly, with Gage Goldberg stepping into a larger role and leaning on the presence of veterans Liona Lefau and Gideon Lampron around him.
For Sanders, the immediate challenge is keeping that group steady if Martinez cannot return, while also trying to preserve some long-term value from a difficult setback. He said he hopes Martinez can secure eligibility for next season, leaving a lingering offseason question even as Colorado tries to sort out its present-day linebacker rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Faces A Brutal Test Amid A Growing QB Dilemma
Texas Techs trip to Boulder comes with plenty of confidence after Joey McGuires program has quietly become far more dangerous away from home, winning seven of its last eight road games. That includes a recent victory at Oregon State, and it gives the Red Raiders a solid backdrop as they head into a matchup with Colorado, a team that is still sorting through injuries and trying to steady itself under Deion Sanders.
Both sides are coming off the usual mix of wins, losses and coaching concerns, but the Buffaloes bigger issue is the uncertainty at quarterback and the ripple effect that can have on everything else. Sanders has already been asked about player availability and the need for improvement, and with Texas Tech showing it can travel well, Colorado does not have the luxury of time to let those questions linger much longer. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Heads Into Brutal Stretch With One Huge QB Question
With Colorado staring at a demanding run of games, the focus around the Buffaloes has shifted to the quarterback battle and how the offense will sort itself out. Wide receiver Joseph Williams has seen enough from both Julian Lewis and Isaac Wilson to believe the room is in good hands, pointing to the traits they share and the poise they bring to the huddle.
Williams also made clear the locker room is prepared to rally around whichever quarterback gets the nod. For a team headed into a tough stretch, that kind of buy-in matters just as much as the depth chart, and it gives Colorado a chance to keep building even as the competition at the game's most important position remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]