Texas Tech has reason to feel better about its backfield heading into Saturday night in Stillwater.
Cam Dickey is trending toward playing for the Red Raiders after being listed as “Probable” on Friday’s injury report. That’s a welcome sign for an offense that could use every dependable option it can get in what many expect to be a shootout.
The concern, though, is that Dickey is still working his way back from an ankle injury. He sprained it against Colorado on October 3, missed two games, and then played only sparingly last week before leaving in the first half. In that game, he logged just three carries for eight yards in his second appearance since returning.
Texas Tech already knows it will be without No. 3 running back Quinten Joyner, who has been ruled out with an ankle injury suffered in last week’s win over West Virginia. That leaves the Red Raiders thin behind J’Koby Williams, with true freshman Ace Rowden the only other option at running back. Rowden arrived as a 4-star recruit in the class of 2026, but he has seen only limited action this season, and Tech likely would prefer not to lean on him heavily in a top-25 matchup.
Dickey’s season has been slowed by the injury, and the numbers show it. After leading Texas Tech with 1,124 rushing yards a year ago, he has only 284 yards in seven appearances in 2026. His yards per carry have dipped from 5.4 last fall to 4.1 this season.
Even so, his presence matters. Experience can go a long way in a game like this, especially with the Red Raiders likely needing their offense to carry a heavy load against a high-powered Oklahoma State team. The big question now is not just whether Dickey is active, but whether he can be effective if he goes.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Still Has A JT Toppin Problem It Can't Solve
Grant McCaslands latest update on JT Toppin was another reminder that Texas Tech is still waiting on one of the biggest pieces of its frontcourt puzzle. The Red Raiders forward is not yet ready to begin practicing after the torn ACL injury, and a return before conference play looks unlikely, leaving the staff to keep planning without a clear timetable for one of its key players.
Meanwhile, the roster picture remains unsettled in another way, with Texas Tech still awaiting eligibility decisions for three fifth-year players. Jamichael Stillwell is already in the mix under a temporary injunction and has helped fill the void in Toppins absence, but the Red Raiders still do not know exactly how the frontcourt will look once everything is sorted out. For a team trying to build continuity, the uncertainty around both health and eligibility is making the early part of the season harder to map out than it should be. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Can Wreck Texas Techs Big 12 Push Today
Several ranked teams are staring at a tense late-season Saturday, with playoff positioning and conference standing both hanging in the balance. Alabama is turning to Austin Mack at quarterback because of Keelon Russells ankle injury, Miami will be without wide receiver Malachi Toney against Duke, and Texas is carrying questions about its offensive line and rushing game into its matchup with LSU.
For Texas Tech, the pressure is more direct and immediate. The Red Raiders head to Oklahoma State trying to protect their hold on second place in the Big 12, and a road trip like this has a way of turning into a season-defining test when the standings are tight and every result starts to matter a little more. [Read more 🡒]
Lady Raiders Keep Finding Ways To Win Tight Games
Texas Tech keeps finding itself in the kind of games that can swing a season either way, and so far the Lady Raiders have handled the pressure. They erased a 13-point deficit to beat Auburn 73-71, moving to 3-0 and showing the sort of resilience that has made these early wins feel different from routine nonconference results.
Jalynn Bristow was at the center of it again, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds and knocking down two crucial 3-pointers in the final minutes. Texas Tech also got double-digit scoring from Destinee Hooks, Ambrosia Cole and Martina Anyango, another sign that this group is finding ways to spread the load when the game tightens up late. [Read more 🡒]