Baylor-Texas Tech: Red Raiders Favored by a Field Goal at Home

This Saturday the Baylor Bears will look to continue their impressive start to the 2010 season when they take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The game will be held at the Cotton Bowl after being played at Dallas Cowboys Stadium a year ago.

The Bears are coming in off a huge 55-7 win over Kansas last week, while the Red Raiders were shocked at Iowa State 52-38.

Texas Tech has beaten Baylor in 14 straight games, but the Bears nearly pulled off wins in each of the past two seasons, as they had a lead in the second half in each game.

If you are thinking about betting on the game this weekend, the current college football odds have the Red Raiders favored by 2.5-points over the Bears at home.

 

Baylor (4-1, 1-0 Big 12)

Outside of a 45-10 loss at No. 4 TCU, the Bears have been very impressive this season. The Bears have won by an average of 31 points a game.

The main reason the Bears are where they are right now is the play of quarterback Robert Griffin, who has already thrown for 1,351 yards and 11 touchdowns and also has 221 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Red Raiders head coach Tommy Tuberville has said that Griffin is the best signal caller in the country right now, and that is saying something with all the talent at the quarterback position in college football.

In last week’s game against Kansas, Griffin threw for a career-best 380 yards with three touchdowns and added another 61 yards and a score on the ground.

There is no question that the key for a Baylor win this Saturday lies heavily on the shoulders of Griffin, who must perform at his best each week for the Bears to come out on top. The defense has really played well so far this season; other than the 45 points they allowed to TCU, the Bears have not allowed more than 13 points in any game this season.

 

Texas Tech (2-2, 0-2 Big 12)

I think we really got a good idea of just where the Red Raiders are in their first season under Tuberville last week against Iowa State. This team is still in transition, and while the offense has had its moments, the defense is still not very good. Iowa State hadn’t put up 50 points against a BCS team since 1972 and hadn’t scored more than 25 points all season.

You have to give the Red Raiders some credit for at least making a game out of it last week, as they were able to tie the game up at 24-24 after falling behind 24-0 early.

Quarterback Taylor Potts has been the bright spot for the Red Raiders so far this season, as he has thrown for 1,187 yards and 12 touchdowns, including 377 yards and five touchdowns last week against Iowa State. With the defense struggling and the running game averaging just over 85 yards a game, Potts has to play well for Texas Tech to even have a chance the rest of the way.

 

Looking at the Odds

I think your money has to be on Baylor at +2.5 in this game. I believe the Red Raiders are still very overrated. I don’t think the Texas Tech defense will have an answer for Griffin in this game, and I think the Bears defense is good enough to keep Potts and the Red Raiders in check.

I not only like Baylor to cover the spread in this one, I think they come away with their first win against Texas Tech in 15 years, as my final score prediction is Baylor 38, Texas Tech 31.

Interested in making some money this college football season? Check out what our expert football handicappers have to offer in their weekly college football picks.

Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams Rachel Nichols Rachel Perry Rachel Weisz