West Virginia is out of the bye week and walking straight into one of the toughest road assignments on its schedule, heading to Lubbock as a heavy underdog against Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders are coming off a comeback win of their own, rallying from a 17-7 hole against Arizona on Saturday to move to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play. Late last night, oddsmakers posted the spread and total for the matchup, and the number reflects just how steep the challenge looks for the Mountaineers.
Texas Tech may not have looked as overwhelming as it did a year ago, but the quarterback switch from Will Hammond to Thomas Castellanos is expected to open things up for the Red Raiders. That’s a bad break for West Virginia, especially with the timing of this game.
Still, there is a path for the Mountaineers if they can exploit a Texas Tech defense that has been shaky against the pass. The Red Raiders rank 137th nationally in pass defense at 308.7 yards allowed per game, one spot ahead of West Virginia.
On the other side, Texas Tech has been strong against the run, giving up fewer than 90 yards per game, so West Virginia’s ground game could be the key if it can find the same kind of success it usually does.
Everything about this matchup points toward points. It has the feel of a game that could swing back and forth, with the defense that lands the late stop likely deciding it.
That’s the same kind of script West Virginia saw in its loss to Iowa State and its win over Cincinnati. Before the TCU game, Mountaineer contests were flying over the total with ease.
In Big 12 play this season, West Virginia’s game totals have been 65, 87, 83, 87, and 44. Texas Tech’s have landed at 54, 36, 78, 61, and 60.
With the total sitting at 62.5, it’s easy to see why that number could draw plenty of action and climb toward the mid-60s.
West Virginia and Texas Tech are set for a 9:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
The game will air on ESPN and will also be available on Mountaineer Sports Network on the Varsity Network App. Postgame coverage is scheduled for the Mountaineer Postgame Show on the West Virginia On SI YouTube channel.
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