Texas Tech @ Kansas State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2013 ) Kansas State 49, Texas Tech 26

Texas Tech can light up a scoreboard as well as anybody, but stopping the other team from doing the same is a bit more difficult for the Red Raiders. No. 22 Kansas State will try to take advantage of those holes in the defense when it hosts Texas Tech on Saturday. That Red Raiders offense might not be operating at full strength if quarterback Davis Webb, who injured his non-throwing shoulder last week, is unable to go.

Webb is expected to be a game-time decision, with that decision being based on how well he is able to take a hit and protect himself. Texas Tech has allowed an average of 47 points in back-to-back losses and was beaten up on the ground by Arkansas before getting carved up through the air in the Big 12 opener at Oklahoma State on Sep. 25. The Wildcats are more likely to look for those holes in the run defense and have Charles Jones averaging two rushing scores to go along with quarterback Jake Waters’ ability to get outside the pocket.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: N/A

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (2-2, 0-1 Big 12): The Red Raiders have turned the ball over six times in the last two weeks and are averaging 105.5 penalty yards in the first four contests, a big point of concern for coach Kliff Kingsbury. “That’s two weeks in a row we’ve given a very good football team the ball inside our own 15, and they’ve scored on all four of those chances, so that’s the biggest deal,” Kingsbury told reporters. “We’re not protecting the ball against quality opponents. You’ve got to do that to win.” If Webb is unable to go on Saturday, freshman Patrick Mahomes, who threw a TD and an INT in relief against Oklahoma State, would get the nod.

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (3-1, 1-0): The Wildcats were uncharacteristically loose with the football while turning it over three times in a 20-14 loss to Auburn on Sep. 18, but bounced back nicely with a dominating performance against Texas El Paso last week. Jones recorded three of Kansas State’s six rushing TDs in the 58-28 thrashing and is becoming the go-to player in the red zone. “Every time (Jones) gets it we all believe he can make a play because he’s shown it, especially down on the goal line,” Waters told reporters. “He has a knack to get in there…We have all the confidence in the world in Charles.”

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kansas State has taken three straight in the series.

2. Red Raiders WR Bradley Marquez leads the Big 12 with six TD receptions.

3. Waters has thrown as many interceptions (three) as TDs.

PREDICTION: Kansas State 28, Texas Tech 24