Texas Tech at Missouri Preview: It All Comes Down to Quarterback Play

After Texas Tech's amazing upset of then-No.1 Oklahoma on Oct. 22, the Red Raiders seemed like a tough team to beat. Since that game, Tech has yet to win a game. 

The week after the upset in Norman, Texas Tech lost, 41-7, at home to against Iowa State, followed by a 52-20 loss to Texas in Austin.

This Saturday, Tech travels to Columbia, Mo. to square off in a Big 12 conference matchup against Coach Gary Pinkel's Missouri Tigers, following an embarrassing 66-6 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Missouri was able to best Texas last Saturday but midway through the game, lost star tailback Henry Josey for the season to a knee injury. Josey had the fourth most rushing yards in college football going into that game, averaging 8.6 yards per carry.

Junior Kendial Lawrence will most likely be replacing Josey this Saturday. Lawrence has 71 carries this season for 321 yards and three scores.

Missouri quarterback James Franklin will also need a big game on the ground in Josey's absence. Franklin has 11 rushing scores this season, as well as 632 yards.

Franklin and Missouri's 46th ranked passing offense hope to take advantage of Tech's underachieving defense. Ranked 114th in the NCAA, Texas Tech's defense has given up an astonishing 37 points per game. Franklin will be looking to get the ball to his sure-handed receiver senior T.J. Moe, as well as his big tight end Michael Egnew, as both have the potential to create huge mismatches for the already-porous Red Raider secondary.

However Tommy Tuberville's offense has been outstanding throwing the ball over the course of this season, and hope to take advantage of Missouri's passing defense, that has also been sub-par.

Red Raider junior quarterback Seth Doege has been sensational through the air, throwing for 3,329 yards on the season with 24 touchdowns. 

Doege has had the opportunity to throw to an outstanding duo of wide receivers, with junior Alex Torres and sophomore Eric Ward both more than 600 receiving yards on the year.

With both teams coming in with identical 5-5 records, and similar rosters and offensive styles, the winner will be decided by the play at the quarterback position. Expect to see either Doege take advantage of the underachieving Missouri defense, or Franklin torch the Tech defense with his arm and his legs.

The two teams face off Saturday at 3:30p.m. (ET) in Missouri's last home game as a member of the Big 12 conference.