Because of the weak competition, the first inclination is to roll the eyes and dismiss the numbers altogether, but the Texas Tech football team’s stats Saturday were so gaudy, they demand attention.
Forty first downs, 80 points, 770 total yards.
And talk of eclipsing the 100- point barrier.
“If we can do it,” Texas Tech senior quarterback Cody Hodges told reporters after the Red Raiders’ 80-21 demolition of Division I-AA Sam Houston State, “we need to do it next week.”
Sure, roll your eyes at Texas Tech’s opponents, which in nonconference are Florida International, Sam Houston State and Indiana State. But after you’re done, keep an eye on the Red Raiders, who may be staring at their best finish in the Big 12 South this decade.
Texas has proved it’s the real deal and is the favorite to win the South. Beyond that, Oklahoma (1-2) is facing the possibility of having its worst season with coach Bob Stoops. Texas A&M has firepower, but the Aggies have been inconsistent. Oklahoma State is trying to find its legs with a new coach, a new no-huddle offense and a new starting quarterback.
Texas Tech’s fate boils down to three games – Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Rarely has the Oklahoma game (Nov. 19 in Lubbock) looked more winnable. If the Red Raiders can turn a 32-25 overtime loss to the Aggies last season into a win this year and also defeat Oklahoma State, their Oct. 22 game against the Longhorns in Austin could be for a shot at going to the Big 12 championship game.
But maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
“I think we’ve got a lot of work to do,” coach Mike Leach said Monday on the Big 12 conference call.
Tech’s problem under Leach has been its inability to impose its will offensively against good teams. The Red Raiders blow out average teams and run up gaudy stats. It’s the good teams that continually give Tech fits and keep it hovering just under the Big 12’s elite.
Under Leach, Tech is 1-9 against Oklahoma and Texas, and in those 10 games has averaged just 20.6 points. Leach’s teams are 12-3 against the other three South Division teams.
But a 45-31 win over California in last season’s Holiday Bowl might be the victory that turns that tide. If nothing else, it shows that points are nothing without the wins to accompany them.
Defense (never) rests
One of the strange early season story lines in the Big 12 has been the disparity between the offenses and defenses.
The defenses have been dominant. Six conference teams are ranked among the top 27 nationally in total defense (yards allowed per game) and none in the Big 12 is worse than Texas A&M at No. 63. Kansas State has made a huge improvement in takeaways. And with four interceptions in its past game against Louisiana Tech, Kansas is returning to the form that led the Big 12 a year ago with 19 picks.
Nebraska and Oklahoma State are allowing fewer than eight points a game, ranking first and third in the nation, respectively, in scoring defense.
Conversely, many Big 12 offenses are struggling.
Half the Big 12 teams are ranked 66th or lower in total offense. Nebraska has the Big 12’s worst offense, ranked last in the conference and 106th in the nation.
Footnote
Texas might have a running back controversy on its hands. Freshman Jamaal Charles ran for 189 yards on 16 carries against Rice after he replaced starter Selvin Young, who left the game because of a sprained ankle.
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
