Game Preview: Battle for the Saddle Trophy at TCU

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech will be looking for its first road win of the season Saturday when the Red Raiders travel to face TCU in Fort Worth. Kick off at Amon G. Carter stadium is set for 2:30 p.m.

This is the fourth year since Texas Tech and TCU renewed the Battle for the Saddle Trophy, which was originally presented to the winning team from 1961-70 before it suddenly disappeared. The two schools created a replica trophy prior to the 2017 meeting, which was a 27-3 TCU victory in Lubbock.

The game will be broadcast to a national audience on FS1 with Eric Collins on the call alongside analyst Ben Leber with Eric Mandia reporting from the sidelines. Fans can access the game from their mobile or streaming device by using the FOX Sports app.

The Texas Tech Sports Network will also broadcast the game over 46 affiliates throughout the state of Texas and New Mexico as Brian Jensen will have the call alongside analyst John Harris, sideline reporter Chris Level and engineer Steve Pitts. The radio broadcast can also be heard on XM channel 199, Sirius channel 138 or via the TuneIn app.

WILL THE ROAD TREND CONTINUE?

The visiting team has won each of the past five meetings between Texas Tech and TCU, a trend the Red Raiders will try to continue Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth.
The Red Raiders needed double overtime to edge the Horned Frogs, 27-24, off a Clayton Hatfield game-winning field goal in 2016 before securing a 17-14 win at TCU in 2018.
The Red Raiders are 3-1 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth since TCU joined the Big 12 Conference prior to the 2012 season.
Over the last eight meetings since the Horned Frogs joined the league, six games have been determined by 10 points or less, including five by three or less points.

RED RAIDERS HEAD TO NOVEMBER

The TCU game opens an important month of November for the Red Raiders, who will be looking for several victories over their final four games to secure their 39th bowl appearance in school history and their first under Matt Wells.
Texas Tech has played one of the most difficult schedules to start Big 12 play as the Red Raiders have faced three ranked opponents thus far, which is tied for the most currently in the country.
The Red Raiders will hope for more favorable results down the stretch as Tech's final four opponents are a combined 7-13 so far this season.

ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK

Despite dropping its ninth-straight game in its series against Oklahoma last weekend, Texas Tech has proved it can bounce back following a loss to the Sooners as the Red Raiders are 11-6 in the game immediately following since joining the Big 12 Conference in 1996 (following game must be played in same season).
Of those 11 victories, Texas Tech had previously lost to Oklahoma by double digits in all but one of those games. The lone exception came in 2016 when the Red Raiders fell to the Sooners, 66-59, in an offensive shootout, only to respond with a 27-24 victory at TCU a week later.
The victory over TCU marked the only time in the Big 12 era where the Red Raiders have faced the Horned Frogs in the game immediately following a loss to Oklahoma.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Texas Tech and TCU will meet for the 63rd time in history Saturday as the Red Raiders lead the all-time series with a 32-27-3 advantage. This will be the eighth meeting between the two former Southwest Conference foes since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12 prior to the 2012 season.
Texas Tech took advantage of three takeaways in its last visit to Fort Worth en route to a 17-14 victory that featured a Jett Duffey 38-yard touchdown run with only seven minutes remaining. It marked the fourth time since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12 that the Red Raiders had held TCU to 30 points or fewer.
Texas Tech and TCU were previously members of the Southwest Conference from 1960-95 where the Red Raiders held a 21-12-3 advantage in those games. The two schools met twice as non-conference foes in 2004 and 2006 prior to TCU joining the Big 12 in 2012.

TEXAS TECH – TCU CONNECTIONS

The ties between the two head coaches this weekend date back to the mid-90s when Matt Wells was a quarterback at Utah State and TCU head coach Gary Patterson was the secondary coach for the Aggies. Patterson spent three seasons in Logan, Utah, as his tenure began during Wells' true freshman season in 1992.
Texas Tech fans will see two familiar faces on the opposing sideline Saturday as TCU co-offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie and defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow have either played at Texas Tech in Cumbie's case or were former staff members.

STAT NOTABLES vs. TCU

Erik Ezukanma came close to a 100-yard game against TCU a year ago as the then-redshirt freshman hauled in four passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. His 33-yard touchdown grab gave Texas Tech a 28-27 lead with roughly five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Riko Jeffers notched his game with 10 or more tackles against the Horned Frogs a year ago as he recorded 11 knockdowns (8 solo), including one that went for a 10-yard sack. He was in the backfield regularly with two quarterback hurries as well.

SEASON NOTES

Texas Tech has already faced five of the top-six teams currently in the Big 12 standings as the Red Raiders remaining schedule features TCU (2-3), Baylor (1-3) and Kansas (0-6) as well as Oklahoma State (4-1).
Texas Tech's four losses this season have come against schools either currently ranked in the top 25 polls (No. 17 Iowa State, No. 19 Oklahoma, No. 22 Texas) or receiving votes (Kansas State). The Red Raiders' three games versus ranked opponents this season are matched for the most in the country currently.
Texas Tech will aim for a strong month of November in order to advance to its 39th bowl appearance all-time and its first under Matt Wells. The month of November hasn't been too kind to the Red Raiders in recent years as Tech has won multiple games just twice since the start of the 2011 campaign (2015, 2017).
Additionally, the Red Raiders will be looking to win three of their final four games of the regular season for the first time since 2010 when Texas Tech closed with victories over No. 14 Missouri, Weber State and Houston. Tech has not wrapped a regular season with three wins over its final four Big 12 foes since 2009.
Texas Tech is averaging 31.5 points per game so far this season, which ranks 41st nationally and fifth in the Big 12. This season would mark the 20th-consecutive year the Red Raiders have averaged at least 30 points per game, which is the longest active streak in the Big 12.

Game Preview: Battle for the Saddle Trophy at TCU

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jett Duffey

Erik Ezukanma

Riko Jeffers

Game Preview: Battle for the Saddle Trophy at TCU

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jett Duffey

Erik Ezukanma

Riko Jeffers

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