Texas Tech (2-2, 3-4) at BYU (1-2, 4-2)
Kickoff: Saturday, 5 p.m. MDT.
Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium (Capacity: 63,725).
TV: FS1.
Livestream: https://www.foxsports.com/live/fs1
Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM/BYU Radio Sirius XM 143.
Series: Texas Tech leads 1-0.
Weather: Mostly sunny skies at kickoff, with temperatures in the low 70s. Mildly breezy, with gusts up to 5 mph. Temperatures dropping into the high- and mid-60s as the night goes on. No rain is expected.
The trends
For BYU: The Cougars’ first homecoming game of their Big 12 era is not a must-win if they hope to become bowl-eligible this season, but it is close to that. That’s because most, if not all, of the remaining games on the schedule will come against more difficult opponents, or on the road. They are coming off a discouraging 44-11 loss at TCU and will hope to recover at home, where they are 3-0 this season with wins over Sam Houston, Southern Utah and Cincinnati.
For Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are also licking their wounds, having lost 38-21 in Lubbock to Kansas State last week. Texas Tech downed BYU 21-20 in 1940 and the teams have not met on the gridiron since. They have a bye next week and would love nothing more than to enter November with a .500 record. They opened the season with a 35-33 loss at Wyoming in double overtime; BYU plays at Wyoming next fall.
What to watch for
The Cougars will again be shorthanded on defense, as leading tackler Ben Bywater is out for the season with a shoulder injury and projected starting safeties when the season began, Micah Harper and Talan Alfrey, have yet to see action in 2023. BYU is hoping to get Alfrey back before traveling to Texas next week. Walk-on safety Tanner Wall has also been lost for the season with an undisclosed injury.
Cornerback Kamden Garrett missed the TCU game with an ankle injury but is expected to play; safety Crew Wakley has also been banged up and will be a game-time decision. On the offensive side, BYU is hoping to get back RB1 Aidan Robbins, who has missed the last four games with a rib injury.
For Texas Tech, the Red Raiders could be starting a third-string quarterback. Three-year starter and sixth-year senior Tyler Slough broke his leg in the first quarter of TTU’s loss at West Virginia. Last week, backup QB Behren Morton aggravated a right shoulder injury and was replaced in the second half by true freshman Jake Strong. Morton has been called “day-to-day” by coach Joey McGuire ahead of Saturday’s game at BYU.
Key player
Kedon Slovis, fifth-year senior, BYU, quarterback: Coming off his worst game in a Cougars uniform, the Pitt transfer needs a big outing at home if BYU hopes to shake off the 44-11 loss at TCU and rev up an offense that was mostly absent against the Horned Frogs. Slovis could use some help from a sluggish running game, and some better execution from his receivers. Last week, there were several times when Slovis had time to throw, but receivers simply could not get open downfield and he had to throw the ball away.
Quotable
“In this conference, the games are unpredictable and the thing is, we can’t be unpredictable. We have to be at our best, and that has not happened enough times for me to be really happy, and that’s my job. So we gotta get that done, and make sure we do it for 60 minutes, and if we can do that then hopefully there will be more entertainment on the field for us.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake.
“Talking to (assistant coaches), they talk about what a great atmosphere it is (in Provo). So I am really excited. Really a big fan of their head coach. Kalani is a first-class guy. He’s got phenomenal energy. Got to coach against him when Baylor and BYU played. So I am excited to see him. Got to know him a little bit with the merge, them coming into the Big 12, at the last two Big 12 meetings.” — Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire.
Next up
BYU: at Texas on Oct. 28
Texas Tech: vs. TCU on Nov. 2
BYU schedule
Aug. 31 — BYU 14, Sam Houston 0
Sept. 9 — BYU 41, Southern Utah 16
Sept. 16 — BYU 38, Arkansas 31
Sept. 23 — Kansas 38, BYU 27
Sept. 29 — BYU 35, Cincinnati 27
Oct. 14 — TCU 44, BYU 11
Oct. 21 — vs. Texas Tech, 5 p.m., FS1
Oct. 28 — at Texas, 2:30 p.m. MDT, ESPN
Nov. 4 — at West Virginia (TBA)
Nov. 11 — vs. Iowa State (TBA)
Nov. 18 — vs. Oklahoma (TBA)
Nov. 25 — at Oklahoma State (TBA)