Here and There
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Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-5, 2-3) |
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TCU Horned Frogs (3-5, 2-3) |
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November 2nd @ 6:00 p.m. |
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Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas |
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Texas Tech -3 |
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FS1 | FOX Sports Live |
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63, Sunny |
Some Hither, Others Yon
While wondering whatever happened to Breiden Fehoko. Fehoko committed to Texas Tech, largely because of then defensive coach Mike Smith, also a former Red Raider. Fehoko played a couple of years for Texas Tech, but eventually transferred to LSU where he was an NFL free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers and bounced around between the Bill and Patriots in 2020 where he eventually settled back with the Chargers in 2022. In 2023, he signed with the Steelers and currently sits on the active roster. When Fehoko transferred from Texas Tech, that was back when it wasn’t as common and we all couldn’t believe why he’d make that move. I do remember seeing his parents at a spring game when he was already gone, just enjoying some football. I don’t know if they are still in Lubbock, but I think they were/are good people.
Prologue
Quick thing to note is that as of right now, 85% of the bets are on TCU, the line opened with Texas Tech favored at 3.5 and is now down to 3 so maybe that drops through the week.
The presser this week focused on the idea that the turnovers are killers on offense and the lack of turnovers on defense and getting to the quarterback have been issues. I think a lot gets solved with Behren Morton at quarterback who Joey McGuire said was 90% and would likely play. Maybe still being a bit coy, but I think he’s a go for sure. The other big news was that Tyler Owens and C.J. Baskerville will switch positions, Owens will play the boundary safety spot and Baskerville will play the field safety spot or outside linebacker, which is what he played at San Diego State and will likely play next year. The other thing to note is that Brenden Jordan and Marcus Ramon-Edwards are more Star-type players, where Baskerville plays.
One other note, which is that the soccer team is playing in the Big 12 Tournament in Austin this week. The ladies dispatched Cincinnati 2-1 yesterday, the game winner from an absolute heater from Gisselle Kozarski in the 88th minute to seal the win. They will face Texas on Wednesday, first-touch is at 4:30.
The Bakay Index
Nick Bakay is an actor, writer and TV personality who made regular appearances on ESPN and wrote on ESPN’s Page 2. Bakay did a segment on ESPN called “Tale of the Tape” where he would give an advantage to one side or the other, or if it was close, then it was a “push”. Bakay was also the voice of the cat Salem on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Briles vs. Non-Briles. In maybe one of the biggest missteps in the offseason was TCU hiring Kendal Briles after former TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley left for Clemson. Briles obviously has his own baggage as a coach and now TCU is not performing up to expectations I think, only 61st in scoring and averaging 29.4 points a game after sitting at 9th last year at 39.2, a 10 point difference. Sonny had a ton of good will headed into the year after last year’s performance, but you wonder where that is at this point. Advantage? Non-Briles.
Morton vs. Strong. I don’t think there’s any sort of quarterback controversy. Jake Strong is a true freshman who struggles a bit in seeing coverage and the turnovers, oh the turnovers. Meanwhile, Behren Morton appears to be relatively healthy, McGuire stating that Morton threw without much issue earlier in the week and would have started next week. I hope that this is an appreciation for how difficult playing quarterback actually is, especially considering how good Morton was last year as a true freshman. Any expectations for Will Hammond should be tempered with the idea that the transition is difficult and Morton is heads and shoulders ahead of Strong despite being only a year separated. Advantage? Morton.
Sign Stealing vs. So Much More. Last week I thought that the sign-stealing situation at Michigan may not have been to the level of something that was illegal. Well, now this appears to be a full on scandal with the perpetrator having bought tickets at 12 different schools (maybe get a prepaid credit card to get tickets and a fake name), the former offensive coordinator after reports of accessing computers, spending as much as $15,000 to send scouts to steal signs, all the while Jim Harbaugh denies any knowledge of anything. There’s video of the alleged perp talking to the offensive and defensive coordinators during games and it seems too coordinated to not be coordinated. Advantage? So damn much more, what a way to torpedo a season.
Quickie Previews & Recaps
All games are on Saturday, November 4th, except for TCU vs. Texas Tech, which is on Thursday, November 2nd.
This Week: TCU @ Texas Tech (6:00 pm on FOX)
Last Week: Texas Tech – Off :: TCU – Off
Both teams with the same Big 12 record and disappointed fan-bases. We’ll get into more on this game on Thursday, which is game-day.
This Week: Kansas State @ Texas (11:00 am on FOX)
Last Week: Kansas State 41, Houston 0 :: Texas 35, BYU 6
The game of the week, both teams are 4-1 in the Big 12 and Kansas State is absolutely cruising. They have demolished TCU, Texas Tech, and now Houston. Texas got by a poor BYU team without Ewers at quarterback. I don’t know that they’ll be as successful against Texas. Texas is favored by 4, which seems like easy money especially if Ewers isn’t right.
This Week: Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State (2:30 pm on ABC)
Last Week: Kansas 38, Oklahoma 33 :: Oklahoma State 45, Cincinnati 13
Game of the week, part II, which you have two additional 4-1 teams looking to make a move. Oklahoma State is also rolling and Oklahoma couldn’t beat Kansas on the road with a back-up quarterback. Ollie Gordon might be one of the best players in the Big 12 and nation, over 1,087 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. Oklahoma has to hit the road in the last Bedlam game for the foreseeable future. The Sooners are favored by 6 and I still have questions about the Oklahoma State offense, but I think I’d take those points.
This Week: Houston @ Baylor (2:30 pm on ESPN+)
Last Week: Kansas State 41, Houston 0 :: Iowa State 30, Baylor 18
Meh, Baylor is struggling a lot like Texas Tech and TCU at this point, while Houston was dominated by Kansas State (join the crowd). I think Baylor is better here and they are at home, so it makes sense to take Baylor to win. The Bears are favored by 4 and would expect them to wind handily here.
This Week: UCF @ Cincinnati (2:30 pm on FS1)
Last Week: West Virginia 41, UCF 28:: Oklahoma State 45, Cincinnati 13
Someone has to win, both teams are 0-5 in the Big 12 so each team will need to wait one additional week to find out who gets a win. I think I’d take UCF, but when I watched them play West Virginia I was just sort of surprised by the sloppy play. Weather shouldn’t play a huge factor so I’ll take the better offensive team, which is UCF, who is favored by 4.5.
This Week: BYU @ West Virginia (11:00 am on FOX)
Last Week: Texas 35, BYU 6 :: West Virginia 41, UCF 28
West Virginia will absolutely roll over BYU. BYU really had nothing offensively against Texas Tech and only scored 6 points against Texas. They travel nearly across the country to enter Morgantown. This seems like an easy game to pick here in terms of a winner, but the Mountaineers are favored by 10.
This Week: Kansas @ Iowa State (6:00 pm on ESPN)
Last Week: Kansas 38, Oklahoma 33:: Iowa State 30, Baylor 18
Another outstanding game, Iowa State is 4-1 in the conference after stumbling out of the gate and Kansas just knocked off Oklahoma. I think I like Iowa State at home, largely because teams always struggle on the road and the Jayhawks are coming off of an incredible high. Iowa State is favored at home by 2.5 and that seems right, enough to make you think about it, but I’d go with the home team.