Baylor hosts Texas Tech and the return of Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire to Waco

By The Associated Press

Texas Tech (2-3, 1-1 Big 12) at Baylor (2-3, 1-1), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Line: Texas Tech by 1 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Baylor leads 41-39-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Baylor has won four of the last five meetings against Texas Tech, including the last two since former Bears assistant Joey McGuire became Texas Tech’s head coach midway through the 2021 season. McGuire was in his fifth season on the Baylor staff when he was hired by Tech that November and moved to Lubbock immediately. He didn’t take over game-day duties until after that season, so McGuire didn’t travel to Waco for the 2021 regular-season finale when Baylor won 27-24. His first home loss with the Red Raiders was 45-17 to the Bears last October.

KEY MATCHUP

Tahj Brooks and the Texas Tech running game against Baylor’s defense. Brooks has three consecutive 100-yard games. Brooks and Cam’Rod Valdez both ran for 106 yards in a win over Houston last week, the first time since 2012 the Red Raiders had a pair of 100-yard rushers in the same game. Baylor has allowed 100-yard rushers in each of its two Big 12 games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Texas Tech: Redshirt freshman linebacker Ben Roberts has double-digit tackles in three of his four games since becoming a starter. He leads the team in tackles with 38.

Baylor: QB Blake Shapen, who missed three games because of an MCL injury in his left knee during the season opener, returned by completing 21 of 34 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown, and running for a score against UCF. He has completed 39 of 64 passes (61%) for 465 yards with three TDs and no interceptions in two career games against Tech.

FACTS & FIGURES

In their school-record comeback from a four-TD deficit to win 36-35 at UCF last week, the Bears had the largest comeback by any FBS team since 2019. That snapped a streak of 892 consecutive losses for a team trailing by 25 points going into the fourth quarter. … Texas Tech has allowed only 10 second-half points this season. That included Houston going scoreless after halftime, the first time the Red Raiders have done that to a Big 12 team since 2018. … This will be the fifth of the Bears’ record eight home games this season. They are 1-3 at McLane Stadium.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll