The BYU Cougars host Texas Tech University Red Raiders on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Saturday’s game will kick off at 5 p.m. Tickets are available for the game or fans can watch the game live on Fox Sports 1.
Ahead of this showdown, here are three things fans should be aware of.
Bounce back territory
Both BYU and Texas Tech will enter the matchup coming off a loss.
The Cougars will be looking to avenge a 44-11 road defeat against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs on Oct. 14.
“Looking back at the game, TCU played their best game of the year and we didn’t play our best game of the year,” said BYU Head Coach Kalani Sitake in his weekly press conference. “When you play in this conference and you play against really good teams, if they’re playing at a high level and you’re not matching that, you have no chance. That was the result for this game.”
The Red Raiders will be looking to rebound after a 38-21 home loss against the Kansas State Wildcats on Oct. 14.
“I thought we did some good things and some not good things,” said Texas Tech Head Coach Joe McGuire postgame. “Just looking at the stat sheet, you are not going to win a lot of games giving up 270 yards rushing, so we did not play good enough run defense.”
Injury bug
Both BYU and Texas Tech have been struck by injuries over the season and both teams will be without key players on Saturday.
The Cougars will be without junior linebacker Ben Bywater who will be receiving season-ending shoulder surgery.
“It hurts us, but all of fall camp and spring ball, we’ve been getting those younger guys ready to pick up the rifle if anybody was to go down,” said Cougars defensive back Eddie Heckard. “It sucks that he went down, he’s a great player and one of the best linebackers I’ve played with and I only got to play with him a few weeks.”
The Red Raiders plan to start their third-string quarterback Jake Strong after Behren Morton left the previous game with an injury.
“I feel good about Jake,” McGuire said in his weekly press conference. “I thought he did some really good things.”
Homecoming
Saturday’s game will be the annual homecoming game at BYU.
“Every game, especially this year, has felt like homecoming already,” Sitake said. “The ROC, our student section, is amazing. They bring so much energy and they are there early.”
Fans in attendance have been encouraged to wear royal blue to the game.
“They (my coaches) talk about what a great atmosphere it is there,” McGuire said. “I’m really excited.”
