TECH PREVIEW
Red Raiders welcome Eastern Washington in opener.
Series history: Texas Tech leads 1-0. Key players: Texas Tech — WR Keke Coutee, RB Justin Stockton, LB Jordyn Brooks; Eastern Washington — QB Gage Gubrud, WR Nic Sblendorio, DB Mitch Fettig. WHO HAS THE EDGE
Offense – Even. Fans of high-scoring football shouldn’t miss this one. The Red Raiders led the FBS with 463 passing yards per game last season. The Eagles led the FCS with 401 passing yards per game, and they return Gubrud, the reigning FCS Player of the Year. The 6-2 junior threw for 5,160 yards and 48 TDs last season. The Red Raiders lost QB Patrick Mahomes II to the NFL, leaving Nic Shimonek as the heir apparent. He threw for 464 yards and six scores in four relief appearances as a junior.
Defense – Even. Neither team stopped anybody last season. Texas Tech allowed an NCAA worst 554.3 yards per game. The Eagles allowed 416.8 yards per game, against lesser opponents, including 193.6 per game on the ground. The good news for the Red Raiders is they return seven defensive starters, but again, expects the points to pile up. Special teams – Texas Tech. Give the Red Raiders a slight edge here. They return K Clayton Hatfield, who was reliable when he was called upon, converting 13 of 14 field-goal attempts.
Notable: Eastern Washington is formidable foe — even against an FBS opponent on the road. It stunned then-ranked Oregon State 49-46 on the road in 2013 and toppled Washington State 45-42 in its 2016 opener. … The Raiders will wear a special helmet sticker honoring former coach Spike Dykes, who died in April at 79 years old.
About Texas Tech: This is an important year for coach Kliff Kingsbury, who’s struggled to produce wins despite fielding one of the best offenses in college football. The Red Raiders finished 4-8 in 2014, 7-6 in 2015 and 5-7 last season. About Eastern Washington: The Eagles shared the Big Sky conference title with North Dakota in 2016. They’re breaking in a new coach. Beau Baldwin left for the OC job at California, prompting the Eagles to promote Aaron Best, who was Baldwin’s OC throughout his EWU tenure.