Texas Longhorns

No. 15 Texas tries to snap 2-game losing skid at Texas Tech

Published Nov. 8, 2018 2:09 p.m. ET

No. 15 Texas (6-3, 4-2 Big 12, No. 19 CFP) at Texas Tech (5-4, 3-3), 7:30 p.m. (Fox)

Line: Texas by 1½.

Series record: Texas leads 50-17.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

Texas is desperate to avoid a third straight loss after its great start. The Longhorns must win if they want to keep hope of an outside shot at the Big 12 championship game. A win makes Texas Tech bowl eligible.

KEY MATCHUP

Texas Tech WR Antoine Wesley against Texas freshman S Caden Sterns. Wesley has 70 catches and averages 130 yards per game. Sterns was on everyone's freshman All-America list after the first half of the season, but the secondary has been shredded the last two weeks with deep passes and long runs when defensive backs took bad pursuit angles. Sterns has to shore up the back of the defense.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Texas Tech: RB Ta'Zhawn Henry is the Red Raiders' leading rusher with 372 yards and eight touchdowns. His ability to find gaps in a Texas defense that surrendered 232 yards rushing last week can open up the field for quarterback Jett Duffy, who will start for Alan Bowman. The freshman was hospitalized this week with a collapsed lung.

Texas: DE Charles Omenihu has been Texas' best defender, but he disappeared in the loss to West Virginia as the Longhorns mounted no pass rush. He must pressure Duffy if the Longhorns hope to pull out a tough road win.

FACTS & FIGURES

Since Tom Herman took over in 2016, Texas is 5-7 in games decided by seven points or less ... Texas QB Sam Ehlinger has attempted 246 passes without an interception and hasn't thrown one since the first game. He had one late against Texas Tech last season that set up the Red Raiders' winning touchdown ... Texas Tech won last year and hasn't had consecutive wins over the Longhorns since 1997-'98. This is the 10th anniversary of Tech's most famous victory against the Longhorns in Lubbock on a last-second TD pass to Michael Crabtree.