LUBBOCK, Texas – No. 19 Texas has questions on defense and host Texas Tech has questions on offense as the rivals prepare for Saturday night's Big 12 match-up. Texas Tech freshman quarterback Alan Bowman was hospitalized earlier this week with a recurrence of a partially collapsed lung, meaning sophomore Jett Duffey might make his second start of the season.
TV: 7:30 ET, Fox. LINE: Texas -2
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Duffey replaced Bowman, the league's leading passer, when he was originally hurt against West Virginia on Sept. 29, for a start against TCU the following week and again for the second half of Saturday's loss to Oklahoma. Texas lost back-to-back games by a combined four points while giving up 80 points and 1,080 yards in those games. A combination of injuries - three defensive starters are questionable this week - and tentative play have contributed to the worrisome defense. "For whatever reason, we haven't cut it loose at times," Longhorns coach Tom Herman told the media Monday. "That's on us to figure out why. Maybe its an uncertainty. The easiest way to (alleviate) some of that is to trim down the call sheet a little bit (and) make sure that guys are ultimately confident in what they're doing."
ABOUT TEXAS (6-3, 4-2 Big 12)
Sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger has thrown for 2,171 yards, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions and has a pair of receivers (Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Collin Johnson) with 50 catches each. Junior Devin Duvernay (27 catches, 337 yards, two touchdowns) recorded his first 100-yard game after grabbing a 48-yard touchdown against West Virginia. Freshman running back Keaontay Ingram has started the past two games and leads the Longhorns with 485 rushing yards while graduate transfer Tre Watson is right behind with 426 yards.
ABOUT TEXAS TECH (5-4, 3-3)
Bowman (2,638 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, seven interceptions) and the Red Raiders are ranked second nationally in passing (375.6 yards) and ninth in scoring (42.7 points). Duffey has thrown for 627 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions and is a running threat - ranked second on the team with 297 yards and four scores. Junior Antoine Wesley, who has recorded three games of at least 155 receiving yards, ranks second nationally with 1,176 yards (70 catches, seven touchdowns).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Texas starting S Brandon Jones (ankle), CB Davante Davis (shoulder), DE Breckyn Hager (elbow) are listed as questionable.
2. The Longhorns have recorded nine straight games with at least 200 yards passing and 100 rushing - the program's second-longest streak in the past 20 seasons (10 games in 2016).
3. Junior QB McLane Carter, who has played one series since a high-ankle sprain ended his Week 1 start, is working as the backup this week although he is not fully healed, coach Kliff Kingsbury told the media Tuesday.
PREDICTION: Texas 44, Texas Tech 38