Nebraska (3-2) at No. 7 Texas Tech (5-0), 2 p.m. CDT Saturday (Fox)
Line: Texas Tech by 20 1/2.
Series Record: Nebraska leads 7-2.
Last Meeting: 2005, Texas Tech 34-31
What’s at Stake
A victory would match Texas Tech’s longest win streak in nine seasons under Mike Leach. In 2005, the Red Raiders started 6-0 before getting drubbed 52-17 by Texas. Nebraska is trying to avoid a second straight blowout loss to a top 10 team, having lost to Missouri 52-17 last week.
Key Matchup
Nebraska run game vs. Texas Tech run defense. The Huskers desperately need to establish the run if they hope to keep the ball out of the hands of Graham Harrell, who last week completed passes to 10 different receivers. The Red Raiders are 24th in the nation against the run (102.6 yards a game).
Players to Watch
Texas Tech: Graham Harrell, who is six TDs behind the 24 he had after the first five games last season and leads the nation’s top passing offense, must read Nebraska’s defensive schemes well if the Red Raiders want to continue to capitalize on their increasingly balanced offense.
Nebraska: QB Joe Ganz must do a good job of operating the short passing game if Nebraska can’t run the ball. Ganz is completing 66 percent of his passes, but he has thrown interceptions deep in his own end the last two weeks.
Facts & Figures
Nebraska suffered its worst loss in the school’s history, 70-10, when the Cornhuskers last came to Lubbock in 2004. Turnovers, five interceptions and two lost fumbles helped the Red Raiders make it a rout to remember. The game was the sixth under then-coach Bill Callahan, who was fired last year after his second losing season in four years.
