After a 53-25 homecoming win over Arizona State, No. 8 Texas Tech is right back on the road and headed to Cincinnati for a Saturday morning matchup that carries more than one layer of intrigue.
The Red Raiders are 6-0 overall and 3-0 in Big 12 play, and they also sit at No. 5 in the US LBM Coaches’ Poll. Cincinnati comes in at 4-2 and 1-2 after dropping back-to-back games, a 34-7 loss at Arizona and a 45-42 defeat at West Virginia. Even with that skid, the Bearcats have been strong at Nippert Stadium, going 8-2 over their last 10 home games.
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire isn’t interested in letting the extra noise around this matchup take over the week, especially with the unpredictability that has already defined the season.
“Tomorrow, when I introduce the team to who we’re playing and I’m going to tell them, ‘Man, make it about the football. We have too much in front of us. We still are nowhere close to the team that we can be and so, don’t focus on anything other than football and going 1-0, no matter who we’re playing,” Coach McGuire said.
There is plenty to sort through on the field. Cincinnati is averaging 231 rushing yards per game, and McGuire pointed to that ground game as the foundation of the challenge.
He also noted the Bearcats’ offensive line, saying three of their linemen had NFL grades going into the season. Add in a veteran quarterback in JC French IV, and Texas Tech knows it has a tough assignment.
“What they’ve done, they’re rushing for 231 yards a game on average. When you can rush the football in a game, I think for 150 yards+, you’ve got a great advantage of winning that game.
You can control the clock, you can shorten the game. I think they’re really good in the offensive line.
There’s three of them that have NFL grades going into the season, so they’re really good up front. It’s going to be a great test, and they have a veteran quarterback (JC French IV).
I think he’s a fifth-year guy, and man he operates their offense and what they want to do, so we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Cincinnati’s top two rushers, Gi’Bran Payne and Cole Tabb, have teamed up for 866 yards through six games. French has completed 108 of 153 passes for 1,338 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions, and he has also carried the ball 66 times for 245 yards and six scores.
Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood said the Bearcats’ offensive approach makes them difficult to pin down early.
“(He’s had) no interceptions, I think he’s fumbled the ball twice, He’s got the ability to extend plays. They don’t drop back to throw it a lot on first, second down, so it’s a lot of run, play action, bootlegs so they do a nice job,” said Tech’s defensive coordinator Shiel Wood. “On early downs, they protect the ball by If they’re going to drop back to throw it, they get the ball out really quick.”
Saturday also brings a personal connection on the defensive side. Wood and Cincinnati defensive coordinator Nate Woody have crossed paths at multiple stops over the years.
Woody was the defensive coordinator at Wofford while Wood played wide receiver there from 2001-05. They later worked together at Wofford from 2011-12, then were reunited at Army in 2020-21, with Woody as defensive coordinator and Wood coaching the secondary.
“I love him, he’s mentor of mine, he’s really instrumental in my coaching career. I can’t say enough great things about him,” Wood said.
“He’s a phenomenal person, great leader, outstanding football coach, and I’m really glad that I have a relationship with him. It’s made a tremendous impact on my career.”
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT Saturday at Nippert Stadium, where Texas Tech will be making its first trip to Cincinnati. The game will air on FS1.
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