What I want to happen:

Texas Tech 49, Texas 38

What I think will happen:

Texas Tech 31, Texas 45

Offensive MVP has to be Potts if Tech wins, period. Defensive MVP, considering the sudden attrition on the DL, would almost have to be Colby Whitlock. My second guess would be Marlon Williams.

Win or lose, I wouldn’t mind if neither team scored 40 points.

The bulk of the sprorts commentators aka “talking bubble heads” pick Texas to win this game per the conventional wisdom. The worm will turn late in the game, giving Tech the turnover they need to win the game.

OMVP: Potts plays an awsome game.

DMVP: Marlon Williams continues his fine play.

Texas Tech 49, Texas 45

If Ruff gets real creative on the D-side it could be to our advantage. Just not sure how Ruff will play this but Bird has to be in the mix @ D-end some how and if he could excel that might be a place to keep him for the rest of the year. I think th offense will go crazy as we are in Muschamps head and Potts is enough different that he does some things that Harrell couldn’t do and that is to our advantage. So when it’s all said and done:

OMVP: The RB’s
DMVP: Whitlock/Marlon Williams
Tech 42 Texas 38

TTU – 43 (oddest score ever thanks to a 2 pt. conversion in the last minute)
UT – 40

I think UT has to be the favorite by a couple of TDs based on their performance so far and Tech’s inconsistency and injuries. However, I don’t know if Texas’ D has been tested the way the Raiders Offense will test it. (are there enough good DBs on the Horns?)

I believe that Texas will score at will via McCoy-Shipley but so will Tech (someone give Muschamp a tranquilizer) which gives the Red Raiders a puncher’s chance of doing something special.

UT – 49
Tech – 38

It is difficult to be optimistic after reading an off season’s worth of losses on the defense…especially at DE.

I cannot see TTU coming away from Austin with a win. Hope I am surprised !!

With Detron, who I think is an NFL quality WR, I say Tech 38 UT 52
Without Detron, I say Tech 28 UT 55

I think he can be an essential part of the offensive gameplan for Tech. I am curious to see if Britton steps up again (best game of his career last year against UT) and to see how Torres does against a premier defense.

Ruff gets creative and moves Sam Fehoko to DE which pays off huge for the Tech D. Offense gets rolling early, but UT comes on strong in the 2nd quarter. Things are tight till the 4th quarter when an UT turnover gives Tech the ball late in the 4th. Tech makes the most of it by scoring and winning the game.

Tech 42
Texas 35

OMVP: Potts with a huge game, and Batch gets the rushing game going
DMVP: Whitlock and Fehoko

I really, REALLY would like to see us win and I just about had myself talked into thinking it could be done. But add those injuries to the complete lack of a push from the O-line, and it’s hard to picture. Two scenarios:

We put a serious hurt on their running game and make Colt beat us (like last time). Our running game suddenly comes alive due to new plays, formations, etc, which in turn opens up the passing game, and we win the turnover margin by +2. Tech 45 – 31

But we don’t run, they do, and we turn the ball over – more badness than I care to contemplate.

and the running game finally comes to fruition. The 3 back rotation confuses UT and has them running crazy. Oh..and check out the dallasnews.com article on TP below.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/091809dnspocarltoncol.402c2e2.html

I’m trying to figure out what we are going to roll with on defense. I suppose Ruff is losing a lot of sleep this week, too.

While I keep trying to figure out some new and great scheme we might roll out tomorrow, deep down, I know Ruff is not going to stray far from his base 4-3. I imagine we’ll see Bird lined up at DE on a few extra snaps, but look for Sharpe to start opposite Howard. Sandy Riley will see significant snaps in relief, and we may see some of our DT’s (maybe Barbee or Wade) lined up on the edge. They may not have quite the speed to get to McCoy, but we are playing containment here, and these guys could keep an OT occupied. Any pressure or sacks will come from Howard or up the middle.

I’m not as concerned about the loss of Mitchem. That is not a knock on UT’s passing game. Ruff coaches his players to keep everything in front of them. Though they may be inexperienced, I think we have enough athleticism among the younger guys that, playing that sort of scheme, the drop off will not be huge. I’m sure we’ll give up 1 big play deep because of a mistake, but that won’t be the difference in the game.

If the Tech offense is firing on all cylinders, this game will turn into a foot race. Combined score could top 90 points. Being thin on defense is going to catch up to us late, and Texas will start eating clock.

UT – 48
TT – 38

I’d take the Red Raiders, but straight up, I cannot. Injuries, our QBs first game on the road, and the fact that we will be playing in a very hostile environment out for blood (ARGH) make it too hard to pick Tech. We’ll surely make a fight of it, but Captain Leach’s 20-lb cannons will not be able to match the firepower coming from the English’s (TU) broadsides. I love viewing this match up as Lafitte/English Navy type of battle…Tech coming in to steal a win (loot) from rich merchants…maybe we can win this after all. The over/under is 66, but from looking at the predictions thus far, fans think it will be a much higher scoring affair. This favors Tech, but I agree with Seth that both teams will struggle a bit in the first half to get their offenses going.

Tech – 28
UT – 37

OMVP – Britton
DMVP – Howard

I wouldn’t count the Raider defense out. Texas can score but the def is tough. Remember the knock on the ut o line. It’s our best shot at getting a victory in Austin in the last 8 plus years. Old Ruff man is probably going to play a new combo of Bird at DE and possibly Fehoko who used to be a DE in high school. One or both look to be on the line around 30 % of the time. Both are faster than any Texas linemen and as strong. Coach Sadler we need a little bit of coaching up here. Note: reverse requires somebody on defense to get blocked to the ground. I don’t see either of these guys falling prey to that type of scheme. Good call on Neill he’s a bit huge for outside contain (i.e. foot speed, weighs 270 pounds) but he could stuff a run, pass rush on long yardage downs or crash down pretty effectively. My prediction thus becomes:
Ut 37
TTU 42
Why ? Leach really wants / needs to score TD’s not FGs. Tech has a history of letting big time teams back into a contest. Mack as well won’t kick it unless they are down and desperate to halt the Tech scoring machine. Defense must stuff the Texas run game IOT get on top of the horns.
If it the game turns out to be a positional brawl i.e. more than 3 or 4 punts per team, multiple 3 and outs, fumbles, turnovers etc. Then drop the score to:
 Ut 29
TTU 34
Special teams: someone is almost fated to break a big play. I vote T. Charbonnet or E. Stephens. Finally kick cover teams need to take Shipley and T. Monroe out of the return game..
Intangibles: Does anyone know which Big 12 crew is reffing this game?
MVP Off Batch
MVP Def Duncan
MVP Special teams E. Stephens
Don’t care who ut picks as their mvp.

I hate this game being at this point in the year.

I think Texas wants to prove a very big point against us tomorrow night. Will they? Man, I hope not. If Tech plays nearly perfect, they will win a tight one. They can do it.

However, the reality of my brain says we lost too much to hang with these guys at this juncture. We almost never play penalty free and against UT, we can’t kill our drives or extend theirs with mindless penalties. Potts has shown to be wildly inconsistent and the running game does not exist. The defensive issues have already been mentioned above.

Sooooo…our youthful exuberance catches up to us. That, and their talent and experience is just too much for our team this year.
Tech 31
UT 50

and I really do feel like Mike Leach has been holding back a grand plan for this game. We all know how badly the OU loss was and I think we have learned from that and it’s time to make a statement. It’s all about consistency and execution in this game. I still feel like the offenses will decide the outcome since both are so dynamic. If Tech can keep from turning the ball over and score on all possessions we win. Sounds very difficult but I have faith in Leach on this one. Lastly, special teams will help us out whole lot.

Tech – 35
UT – 27

Tech MVP – Potts(he will arrive at this game)
Now lets break out the Tums and try and relax until game time.

but these losses on defense are killing me, and they’re killing our chances to compete in Austin. Two DE’s and a safety not going to Austin? /facepalm

OMVP: Leong
DMVP: The clock
UT: 50-ish
Tech: 35-ish

Prove me wrong, Raiders. Please.

We’re not going to score on every possession in Austin.

Potts is going to have some growing up to do in his first big road game. That means for us to have a shot the defense has to come up with at least a few good stops or turnovers. No big plays or special teams heroics for Texas, and we win.

TTU 35
UT 31

THE SCORE

44 tech 41 texas… mmm just had my bevo burger,, I chewed it extra long!!!!!

love the entitlement comment,, i agree, colt will be playing to hard and will hold onto the ball just a little to long a couple of times,,, wham!! The drought will end in Austin becuase everyone will cry a river

WRECK EM TECH.

NUFF SAID

With that said, I will take Tech in this game. I know that Tech will show up for this one or they will have the stunk smell until next year.

The keys is that Tech shuts down the run of UT and McCoy can not carry the team on his own though he will try. Tech will struggle but put up the point like they always do against UT early. This time the defense holds UT rather than let down to a last minute win.

TTU 38
UT 27

OMVP Britton break out game Jeffers and Zouzalik having impressve day as well.
DMVP Bird in a tie with Williams at LB with Johnson having a break out game and preventing the fast UT receivers from getting behind our Defense.