LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire is all-in on the hype ahead of the No. 9 Red Raiders' biggest home game in well more than a decade, a matchup with No. 8 BYU that has playoff implications and could be a preview of the Big 12 title game.
He'd create more if he could.
McGuire visited and chatted with students camped outside the stadium days ahead of kickoff. He texted ESPN's “College GameDay” crew with Lubbock dining recommendations and a promise they would have full access to his team before the game.
The wind-swept plains of West Texas haven't hosted a game like this since 2008 when No. 1 Texas rolled into town, only to lose to then-No. 6 Texas Tech on Michael Crabtree's touchdown catch in the final seconds. That was also the last time ESPN did its popular pregame show from there.
McGuire wants his team, the campus and entire city to embrace the new moment at hand.
“I can’t wait for Saturday. I think the environment is going to be absolutely incredible,” McGuire said. "They've earned the right to play in this game. ... Now they've got to go earn the right to win it.”
It's big for the league, too.
BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12, No. 7 CFP) and Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1, No. 8 CFP) are meeting in the Big 12's first conference matchup of top 10 teams since 2021. The Cougars are the league's last undefeated team.
“I’m just trying to get the team ready,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “It’s a lot of fun to go see these places that you’ve never been able to play at before. ... But yeah, I’m not concerned about all that stuff with the rankings and everything. There’s an opportunity for us to get to play the game, so I’m looking forward to that.”
The Red Raiders would appear primed and ready for the moment. Quarterback Behren Morton returned last week after missing two games because of a right leg injury, and Tech's tenacious defense is led by playmakers Jacob Rodriguez, who leads the nation in forced fumbles with seven, and national sacks leader David Bailey (11 1/2).
Top offenses and top defenses
The Red Raiders not only lead the Big 12 with 43.6 points and 492.3 total yards per game, they have the top defense allowing only 13.2 points and 271.3 yards per game.
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With true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier and league rushing leader LJ Martin, BYU ranks third both in scoring 36.3 points and allowing 17 per game. The Cougars average more than 216 yards rushing per game, while Texas Tech has given up only 75 yards per game on the ground and hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher.
Bachmeier has six games this season with touchdowns passing and rushing. That is tied for the most in FBS.
Texan running with Cougars
BYU running back LJ Martin averages 98.6 yards and has five 100-yard games. He carried only five times in the first half of BYU's last game at Iowa State before exiting with a shoulder problem. An open date allowed the El Paso, Texas, native, who Tech did recruit, some extra recovery time and he returned to practice this week.
Rare matchup
This is the first time two top-10 Big 12 teams have played each other since No. 9 Baylor beat No. 5 Oklahoma State in the league's 2021 championship game.
The Red Raiders haven't had such a matchup since that 2008 season, when they played three in a row: the win over Texas, followed by a 56-20 win over No. 8 Oklahoma State and a 65-21 loss at No. 5 Oklahoma that kept them from making the Big 12 championship game.
BYU’s last league title, Tech still seeking one
BYU last won a conference title in the Mountain West in 2007, four years before the Cougars began 12 seasons of independence until joining the Big 12 in 2023.
The Red Raiders are one of six teams that have been part of all 30 Big 12 seasons. They and Kansas are the only ones in that group that haven’t played in a Big 12 championship game.
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