Will Texas Tech score more than 50?

As Kansas fans might remember, Texas Tech came to Lawrence last season and gained 556 yards on the way to a 63-21 victory.

Texas Tech has lost some key pieces since that ugly Saturday — most notably quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree — but the Red Raiders are still racking up the yardage and points.
Some of that success should be attributed to the team’s solid stable of passers, none of whom sports a rating worse than 136.19. But a good deal of the Red Raiders’ efficiency is the result of coach Mike Leach and his pass-first offense.

Until Leach leaves Lubbock for greener pastures, Texas Tech’s offense will most likely remain an unstoppable force.

In order for this game to stay exciting, all the Kansas defense has to do is become an immovable object.
While KU has shown improvement on defense since head coach Mark Mangino and defensive coordinator Clint Bowen, Texas Tech will be the best offense KU has played so far this season.

Texas Tech has gained 6.7 yards per play, substantially better than Oklahoma’s 5.6 yards per play. The Iowa State and Colorado offenses, which both scored more than 30 points against the pre-personnel
shuffle KU defense, are averaging 5.4 and 4.2 yards per snap, respectively.

At cornerback, freshman D.J. Beshears has made better tackles than sophomore Daymond Patterson and at safety freshman Lubbock Smith has defended the run more effectively than senior Justin Thornton. Adding two defensive backs to the mix has given Bowen and Mangino more pieces to shuffle in and out and granted coaches better ability to manipulate matchups in KU’s favor.

Whether KU’s newfound flexibility will keep Texas Tech under 50 points remains to be seen.

What’s wrong with Todd Reesing?

The sudden downturn in productivity from KU’s senior quarterback has been a popular topic of discussion in the Big 12 Conference of late.

Reesing will have to deal with extra pressure to perform Saturday in Lubbock, given the Red Raiders’ ability to pile on points.

KUSports editor Jesse Newell explained in brilliant detail one of the worst plays of Reesing’s 2009 season.

But it wasn’t just that particular interception against Oklahoma that has hurt Reesing and the Jayhawks. The senior wasn’t particularly sharp against Colorado, fumbling near the KU goal line and never finding his first-half groove.

The Oklahoma contest was an unmitigated disaster in contrast to the quarterback’s sterling career track record. Reesing’s three interceptions before halftime helped bury the Jayhawks despite the best efforts of KU’s defense.

Let’s not overreact: The Austin, Texas, native has played well this season. He’s posted the 30th-best passer efficiency in the nation. But his 2009 efficiency numbers aren’t what they were in 2008, 2007, or even his brief 2006 debut.

Texas Tech has posted decent-but-not-amazing pass defense numbers, so it should be interesting to see if Reesing can return to form.

Can KU turn the tables on Tech?

Texas Tech boasts a history rich in domination of KU on the gridiron. The Red Raiders have won 10 of 11 games between the teams, dating back to 1965.

The only time the Jayhawks have pulled one out from under the Red Raiders?

2001, when KU managed a three-point, double-overtime victory.

The most embarrassing of those losses may have been last season’s. KU was ranked No. 19 in the nation and riding a 2-1 conference record into Homecoming before Texas Tech scored 49 consecutive points and held KU to its lowest yardage total in 27 games.

Also stacked against the Jayhawks: A case of serious road struggles.

From the start of 2006 to present, KU is 7-8 in road contests. During the same span, the Jayhawks are 21-5 at home.

KU is 1-1 so far this season away from Memorial Stadium. Early in the year the Jayhawks stymied UTEP in impressive fashion. But a mid-October trip to Colorado didn’t go as well. It was KU’s loss to the Buffaloes that started its current two-game slide.