Texas Football Breakdown: Scouting Week 13 vs. Texas Tech

The 2023 college football season is fast approaching, and the hype for Texas football in Year Three of the Steve Sarkisian era is high. The Longhorns bring back 17 starters from a 2022 squad that won eight games and had flashes of greatness. Those flashes must become more consistent if the Horns want to leave their mark during their final season in the Big 12.

In July, Texas was selected atop the Big 12 Media Preseason Poll for the first time since 2009. The Horns received 41 of 63 first-place votes, ahead of Kansas State’s 14 and the four received by Oklahoma and Texas Tech. This solidified Texas as the program to beat in the Big 12 this fall.

The Longhorns first took the field for fall camp on Wednesday, Aug. 2. The hype for Texas football and the 2023 season has grown with every passing practice. It would be apropos to take a game-by-game look at the Longhorns’ 2023 opponents, diving into every aspect of what Texas will face this fall.

Take a look at the first 11 Texas games I previewed earlier this month:

• Week One vs. Rice
• Week Two at Alabama
• Week Three vs. Wyoming
• Week Four at Baylor
• Week Five vs. Kansas
• Week Six vs. Oklahoma
• Week Eight at Houston
• Week Nine vs. BYU
• Week Ten vs. Kansas State
• Week 11 @ TCU
• Week 12 @ Iowa State

In Week 13, Texas wraps up its final Big 12 regular season with a matchup against Texas Tech. Last season, the Longhorns entered Lubbock as a seven-point favorite. The Red Raiders pulled off the upset, taking down the Horns 37-34 in overtime. Texas will look to end their final regular season in the Big 12 with a win over their in-state rival on Black Friday. The game is set to kick off at 6:30 CT and will be aired on ABC. According to ESPN’s matchup predictor, the Horns have a 78.2 percent chance of beating the Red Raiders.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2023 Texas Tech Red Raiders and their matchup against Texas.

Breaking down how Texas football matches up against Texas Tech.

Overview:

The Texas Tech fanbase could not have asked for more than what head coach Joey McGuire delivered in Year One. The Red Raiders won eight games for the first time since 2013. They picked up their second bowl victory in the last nine years and beat Oklahoma and Texas in the same season for the first time in program history.

However, the Horns still dominated Tech even in the leanest decade in program history. Texas has won four of the last five and 11 of their 14 meetings since 2009. The momentum has been swirling in Lubbock all offseason, but Texas has set the clear precedent that this is their game to lose.

Tech was selected fourth in the Big 12 Media Preseason Poll. Let’s examine how they match up against the Horns this fall.

Offense:

One of Joey McGuire’s first moves as head coach was to hire Zach Kittley as his offensive coordinator. The air raid scheme Kittley brought to Lubbock transformed a Tech offense despite their struggles with injuries throughout the season.

Senior Tyler Shough and sophomore Behren Morton are back in the quarterback room, though Shough’s seniority won him the starting job this offseason. He has a cannon of an arm and a solid ability to push the ball down the field. Shough has a career TD/INT ratio of 29/13 and, if fully healthy, gives this Tech offense the leadership at quarterback they have been lacking.

Tahj Brooks steps in as RB1 this fall after splitting carries last year. Brooks can make defenders miss in the smallest of boxes and has incredible shiftiness, making him one of the toughest running backs in the conference to bring down.

Tech returns its top five receivers and three tight ends. Jerand Bradley is poised for an All-Conference breakout on the outside. I also expect senior slot receiver Myles Price to once again be very productive. He snagged 51 passes for 513 yards last season. He will be Shough’s security blanket across the middle.

The outside weapons of the Red Raiders will provide a challenge for the Texas defense. It will be intriguing to see how Pete Kwiatkowski uses the plethora of bodies he has in the backend to match up against the skill players of Tech.

Defense:

The Tech defense struggled last season. They were susceptible against both the run and the pass, allowing 426 yards per game (108th nationally). McGuire hangs his hat on the defensive side of the ball and will surely have this unit playing better in 2023.

The Red Raiders return seven starters in their patented 2-4-5 base scheme. Tony Bradford and Jaylon Hutchings are back with their hands in the dirt to form a very formidable defensive tackle duo. Replacing Tyree Wilson on the edge is nearly impossible, but senior Myles Price and Syracuse transfer Steve Linton have looked like formidable options to recoup some lost production.

Tech returns its starting corner duo in Malik Dunlap and Rayshad Williams. Both players had up-and-down 2022 seasons, but their continuity cannot be discounted. They both stand at 6-foot-3 and match up well with the outside receivers of Texas.

The Tech defense does not have many holes, but they lack studs that can be real difference-makers. Every level of this defense is solid, but all are susceptible to breaking down in certain matchups. This is a game where I like Texas to find success in the middle of the field. Look for guys like JT Sanders and Jordan Whittington to have big games.

Prediction:

Odds are, this Week 13 game will have some implication on who travels to Arlington to play for the Big 12 title. Tech will want this one badly, and according to the recent comments from Brett Yormark, the whole Big 12 Conference will be in the Red Raiders’ corner. Texas will be up for this senior night game under the lights of DKR. Tech may have success moving the ball on offense, but they will not have the ability to limit the Longhorn offense. – Texas Tech-30, Texas-44