Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Texas Longhorns Betting Preview: Longhorns Look to Push Around a Little Brother in Big 12 Opener

Texas rebounded from their loss to Arkansas with a win, but shutting out one of the worst teams in college football does not mean that everything is right in Austin. This weekend they will look for a winning start to Big 12 play as they host Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have opened the season with three straight wins, but this will be their biggest test by far.

This is an important game for the Longhorns before they get into the meat of their Big 12 schedule. After tomorrow’s contest, they will hit the road to face TCU and then take on Oklahoma in their next two games. Building some confidence ahead of those tough tests is vital.

College Football Matchup: Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0) vs Texas Longhorns (2-1), ABC, 12:00 p.m. ET

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Texas Longhorns College Football Betting Odds

Moneyline

• Texas Tech Red Raiders +270
• Texas Longhorns -355

Total

• OVER 61.5 (-115)
• UNDER 61.5 (-105)

Spread

• Texas Tech Red Raiders +9.5 (-110)
• Texas Longhorns -9.5 (-110)

College football odds for Texas Tech vs Texas are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Friday, September 24, 2021 at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Texas Longhorns Betting Outlook

TTU head coach Matt Wells needed a good start, but he is not off the hot seat yet. The Red Raiders have to get some Big 12 wins or his job will be in jeopardy.

Former Oregon quarterback Tyler Shough transferred into the starting QB role and he has looked pretty good. Texas Tech’s offense has been pretty well balanced this season but must play its best to stay competitive against Texas. Shough threw for a career-high 399 yards and four touchdowns last time out against FlU, and he will need another big day if the Red Raiders are to make things interesting in Austin.

Defensively, Texas Tech has been super stingy against the run this season, giving up just 54 yards per game on the ground. That is in part a measure of their opponents though, which include FCS member Stephen F. Austin. The Longhorns have one of the best running backs in the country and Texas Tech has to be worried about whether they can stop him. If they can’t they are toast.

Longhorns Need Stable Direction

The Longhorns have played three games and both of their quarterbacks have played in each. That is never by design. Until they can get what they want from their guy things are likely to be a struggle on offense, even with Bijan Robinson in the backfield. He has to be more consistent though; in the loss to Arkansas he was really bottled up and never made a play. The Red Raiders are not as good as the Razorbacks, but they won’t just get out of the Longhorns’ way the way that Rice did.

It was just one game, but part of what stood out in that loss to Arkansas was the way that Texas got pushed around on both sides of the ball. Wins over G5 opponents, even good ones, just don’t require that physicality. You have to be a little worried about Texas as they get back to a higher level of competition. The fact that they might be looking ahead to games against TCU and Oklahoma is concerning too. This team has shown it needs total focus to achieve results.

College Football Betting Trends to Consider for Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Texas Longhorns

• Texas Tech is 4-1 ATS in their last five games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
• The Red Raiders are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
• Texas is 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
• The Longhorns are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following an SU win of more than 20 points.
• The Longhorns are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as a favorite.

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Texas Longhorns Best Bet

Texas -9.5

I am not a big believer in Texas right now and will be looking to fade them throughout the college football season, but this is one spot where I won’t. I still think their talent is enough to overwhelm Texas Tech and Wells is not a good enough coach to bridge the gap.

The Red Raiders will keep it respectable, but the Longhorns are never going to be threatened in an easy win. Hopefully a solid victory will help set us up to fade Texas in the week to come against opponents that can definitely beat them.

Texas Tech vs Texas Score Prediction

Texas 41, Texas Tech 24