TEXAS TECH/TEXAS
The Red Raiders come calling on the Longhorns in Austin.
Records: TCU 9-2, 6-2 Big 12; Baylor 1-10, 1-7. Series history: TCU leads 5352-7.
Key players: Baylor — QB Charlie Brewer, RB JaMycal Hasty, LB Jordan Williams; TCU — RB Kyle Hicks, LB Sammy Douglas, CB Jeff Gladney
Who has the edge
Offense — TCU. Hill reportedly sat last week with a concussion. Coach Gary Patterson said Monday he is “closer to probable” this week against Baylor. Shawn Robinson made his first start in Hill’s sted, and the first for any true freshman at TCU under Patterson. He was only 6-of17 passing for 85 yards but threw a TD pass in the third and ran for 84 yards.
Defense — TCU. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 in rushing (91) and scoring (15.1) defense. They’re third nationally in run defense and seventh in scoring. DE Ben Banogu is second in the league with 6.5 sacks and DE Mat Boesen (6) is third. Banogu boasts 13 tackles for loss. The Bears are surrendering 458.7 yards per game, which ranks 116th in the country. Special teams — TCU. Punters Andrew David and Adam Nunez averaged a combined 42.8 yards on five punts against Texas Tech. Baylor’s Connor Martin averaged only 27.6 yards on five punts against Iowa State. Martin did convert two field goals, however, sending him to 18-of-21 on the season, with four straight makes. TCU’s Cole Bunce also hit a pair of FGs last week.
Notable: The Horned Frogs beat Baylor 28-21 in double overtime two years in Fort Worth. They rolled last season, winning 62-22 at Waco behind Hicks, who had 26 carries for 192 yards and five TDs. The Bears won three of the previous four meetings in the back-and-forth series, and the Frogs won three straight from
2006 to 2010.
About Baylor: The Bears lost 2313 to an Iowa State team without QB Kyle Kempt, giving them back-to-back setbacks since that lone win over Kansas. Brewer completed 26 of 36 passes for 198 yards and one TD, but also tossed an INT and took two sacks, and Hasty averaged 5.1 yards per carry, finishing with 86 rushing and 24 receiving yards on eight catches.
About TCU: The 10th-ranked Horned Frogs stifled Texas Tech’s passing game in a 27-3 win that put them back inside the AP Top 10. They rolled without Hill, who Patterson is hoping to have back this week with a spot in the Big 12 championship game on the line. Douglas led the Frogs with 10 tackles and one forced fumble last week. Gladney had a 94-yard pick-six.