The Red Raiders are looking to bounce back -- and perhaps more importantly, trying to keep their Big 12 division hopes alive. A 38-30 loss to Oklahoma last weekend was their first of the year. Texas Tech had started 7-0 up to that point.
How to watch Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech 2013: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
Here’s what you need to know ahead of a huge Big 12 showdown.
Brett Deering
Oklahoma State, on the other hand, is rolling. The Cowboys swept through Ames with a 58-27 win, their third in a row. More impressively, they've done this amid uncertainty at the quarterback position, switching back from J.W. Walsh to Clint Chelf.
The numbers
Rankings and records: This will be a matchup of two top-20 teams, according to the BCS standings — the Red Raiders sit at 15th, down from last week’s 10th, and the Cowboys are 18th. Texas Tech is 21-16-3 against OSU all time, but that lead is shrinking. OSU has won the last four.
Vegas: Oklahoma State opened as a 2.5 favorite, but the odds have since flipped, making the Red Raiders the favorites. The over/under opened at 66.5
Weather: Sunny skies in Lubbock, with a high of 69 during the day, and a low of 45.
Three names to know
Jace Amaro (Texas Tech tight end) — Amaro is, along with North Carolina's Eric Ebron, one of the best tight ends in the country this season. No matter which quarterback has been under center, Amaro has produced -- this season, the 6'5, 260 pound junior has 64 catches for 861 yards and three touchdowns. The first figure leads the Big 12, and the second is good for second place. Even better news than that -- as of right now, Amaro plans to return for another year in Lubbock.
Desmond Roland (Oklahoma State running back) — After not receiving more than 10 carries in any game this season, newly minted starter Roland showed up for the Iowa State game with a force, ripping off 219 yards and four touchdowns by himself. That would more than double his 2013 production to date, and Roland got a Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week award for his efforts. He will more than likely be the first back against Texas Tech, a defense that ranks 40th in the country against the run -- quite a bit better than Iowa State's.
Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech head coach) — How will the Red Raiders respond to the first loss of Kingsbury's career? How will Kingsbury respond to his first loss? Will Davis Webb continue to start, or will true freshman Baker Mayfield return from injury? Questions, questions...
Two things at stake
Last weekend’s game against Oklahoma was already damaging — another loss would make it extremely difficult for Texas Tech to win the Big 12 at all, as Baylor and Texas are both still undefeated in conference play. Oklahoma would then hold the tiebreaker over the Red Raiders, giving them a third team to contend with. A win gives the Raiders an outside shot at winning the conference, though, as they do still have games against Baylor and Texas remaining later next month.
Still, if a loss would lead to slim chances for Texas Tech, then it would essentially eliminate the Cowboys, who slipped up earlier against West Virginia.
How to witness
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox (Gus Johnson, Charles Davis, Kristina Pink)
Further reading
For more on Texas Tech, head to Viva The Matadors. Cowboys Ride For Free, if you’re interested in Oklahoma State.
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