Week 6: Texas Tech at Kansas State

This is a matchup made for a scoreboard testing session.

The Red Raiders average 45.8 points a game in their high-powered spread offense.

The Wildcats have surrendered 75 in their last two games, including 37 to Louisiana-Lafayette, yet can pile up points, too.

No surprise, not in this league, the main characters are the quarterbacks, with Tech’s Graham Harrell leading the Big 12 in total offense while K-State’s Josh Freeman is sixth.

Harrell, who averages 393.2 passing yards per game, needs just 205 more to become the Big 12’s career passing leader. And he leads the nation in six career categories – total offensive plays, total yards, pass attempts, passing yards, completions and touchdowns.

Freeman ranks No. 1 all-time among Wildcat passers and is intriguing to NFL scouts because of his size and arm strength.

Tech also offers one of the nation’s best wideouts in Michael Crabtree, while K-State counters with a rising star of its own in Brandon Banks, who leads the nation in receiving and already has six scoring catches longer than 30 yards.

Sound like fun?

“I don’t think right now that you can say it’s apples to apples, but we’ll go see,” said K-State coach Ron Prince.

The Red Raiders dare to not only contend in the Big 12, but nationally. Consider this a test of their worthiness. Tech hasn’t been a great road team in the Big 12 and they can’t afford to slip up here.

Notes:

K-State is playing a conference opener at home for the first time since 1998. The Wildcats went 3-6 on the road to start league play in the years since.

Texas Tech, at No. 7 in the rankings, is enjoying its highest poll position since it stood at No. 5 in 1976.

The Red Raiders are hoping for a return to health along their offensive line, with starters Rylan Reed and Louis Vasquez returning from minor injuries to anchor the left side.

K-State’s Lamark Brown, making the switch from wide receiver to running back, had a nice debut as the backfield starter with 137 yards and a touchdown against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Player to Watch (Wildcats) – Ian Campbell, DE

A two-time All-Big 12 pick, Campbell is a fast and active pass rusher. That’s a necessity in applying pressure to Tech’s Harrell, who uses quick reads and a quicker delivery out of the shotgun spread. Harrell is hard to harass, yet that’s the only way to disrupt the Red Raiders passing game.

Player to Watch (Red Raiders) – Michael Crabtree, WR

The sophomore wideout hasn’t yet matched the eye-popping numbers he produced in exploding on the scene as a freshman, but he’s still plenty dangerous. And exciting. With the ante raised for Big 12 play, expect Harrell and Crabtree to re-connect their dynamic duo. And it could just get started here.

Texas Tech by 13