No. 10 Texas Tech gets a chance to rewrite last year’s Arizona State result on Saturday, but the Red Raiders insist the focus is on the present, not on revenge talk from months ago.
Texas Tech heads into its Homecoming matchup in Lubbock at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play, while Arizona State arrives at 3-2 and 1-1 in the league. The Sun Devils handed Tech its only regular-season loss a year ago, a 26-22 decision, and a few Red Raiders admitted that result is on their minds now that game week has finally arrived.
“Now that it’s here, I’m definitely looking forward to it just because of what happened last year that we lost,” said defensive lineman AJ Holmes Jr. “So now that it’s Arizona State week, we’re definitely getting amped up, like we got to go get us a win because they beat us last year, but as far as just in the offseason looking forward to it, no sir. But now it’s game week against them, so they’re the most important game right now.”
Texas Tech will have to work around a key absence in the backfield, with running back Cameron Dickey still dealing with a left-ankle sprain he suffered in the 29-7 win at Colorado. In his place, J’Koby Williams has been carrying the load, piling up 63 carries for 388 yards and three touchdowns.
Quentin Joyner should also see a bigger role after working as the team’s No. 3 back. He has 35 carries for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 30-yard scoring run two weeks ago in Boulder that helped finish off the game.
Head coach Joey McGuire said the Red Raiders want to lean on their running backs to ease the burden on quarterback Will Hammond, who started last year’s game before suffering a season-ending injury a week later.
“We’re going to make sure those running backs are the ones that are touching the ball in the run game. I think we, probably put too much on Will last year, being a real young guy, and I think it really goes back to probably what he did against Utah is where we felt like we could do that again,” McGuire said. “I know Will’s going to be fired up because this is the one start that he had last year that he got beat in and so, I know he’s going to be excited to get a little redemption.”
Hammond has thrown for 97 completions on 142 attempts this season, with five touchdown passes and five interceptions. Through the air, Kenny Johnson has been Tech’s top receiver with 17 catches for 298 yards and a score. Coy Eakin and Malcolm Simmons are the only Red Raider pass-catchers with more than one touchdown, with two apiece.
Arizona State’s defense gives Texas Tech another opening to attack. The Sun Devils are second-to-last in the Big 12 in points allowed per game at 27.8.
The Sun Devils have had a mixed start, with losses at Texas A&M, 48-20, and at home to Baylor, 55-19, before last week’s 30-12 non-conference win over Hawai’i.
Quarterback play remains central for Arizona State, now that former starter Sam Leavitt is at LSU. Cutter Boley has stepped in and completed 99 of 158 passes for 1,229 yards and 12 touchdowns over five games.
“I think he’s a big physical quarterback; I think he can throw the ball in all different areas of the field,” said Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood. “I think he’s probably trying to hit his stride and I think he’s definitely a guy that can make you pay with the football down the field, and they don’t ask him to run the ball a lot, but when he does, he’s a big physical guy.”
Boley’s top two receiving options, Reed Harris and Omarion Miller, have combined for 65 catches, 902 yards and nine touchdowns. McGuire called both “high-end guys”, noting they were heavily pursued in the transfer portal.
Homecoming kicks off at 2:30 p.m. and will air on FOX.