Staff Predictions. Texas Tech vs. Arizona State

Texas Tech travels to Arizona State. How does the Texas Tech Red Raiders on SI staff expect the game to go?

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Halfway through the regular season, the No. 7 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team remains undefeated. The scarlet and black have surged to a 6-0 start (3-0 in Big 12 competition), and now travel to Tempe, Ariz., for a matchup with the Arizona State Sun Devils.

The game kicks off at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, just the sixth contest ever between these two programs. The two sides have played five times, all since 1999, and the home team has won every matchup.

While the Sun Devils won a pair of games in Tempe in 1999 and 2016, the Red Raiders won two in Lubbock, Texas, in 2017 and 2024. The only neutral site game was the 2013 Holiday Bowl, a win for Tech, which leads the all-time series 3-2.

Arizona State had previously been a member of the Pac-12; 2025 is just the Sun Devils' second season in the Big 12, having won the conference in their debut campaign. However, ASU opened its conference slate last year with a loss to Tech, giving this game an edge, even for two teams that have not historically played often.

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"This is a really big game, and I know [Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham] will have them ready to go. I expect a really loud crowd," said Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire.

"He's done a phenomenal job. I think he's one of the brightest young coaches in the game right now and really turned a program around from his first year into what he's done last year, winning the Big 12, and then turning around and putting himself in a really good spot this year to compete for it."

After winning the conference in 2024, the Sun Devils opened the season ranked 11th in the AP Poll, 12 spots ahead of the Red Raiders; Arizona State is currently 4-2 (2-1) with losses to Mississippi State and No. 23 Utah.

However, ASU lost to Utah without starting quarterback Sam Leavitt. He is listed as probable and seems likely to play, as is Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton, who is questionable due to a leg injury. The health status of both quarterbacks will undoubtedly be a major factor in this game.

The Red Raiders opened as double-digit favorites, but following key injury news, the line has tightened to seven points in favor of Texas Tech, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total sits at 51.5 points, the same mark as Tech's last road conference game against Houston.

Prediction	Predictor
Texas Tech 34-20	Jordan Epp
Texas Tech 34-17	JD Andress
Texas Tech 38-27	Julio Gonzales Jr.

Jordan Epp: The Red Raiders have scored no fewer than 34 points in a game and allowed no more than 17. They have won every game by 24 or more points so far this season. Even when they beat Houston 35-11, McGuire said the team should have scored 60.

The offense is not yet at its best, and the defense leads the nation in stop rate. If the offense can correct its red-zone woes, 40 is within range, but that may not be this week on the road with a less-than-100% quarterback. If Arizona State reaches 20 points, it would be the first team this season to do so.

On to Tempe 🏜️ pic.twitter.com/Ub5hRUa4uI

— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) October 14, 2025

JD Andress: As I’ve stated previously, I have no reason to shy away from the Red Raiders, and in fact don’t think this is the week to even be concerned. ASU struggled against a TCU pass rush that is one of the worst in the country, and now they face the best. Morton will be worth monitoring, but I like backup quarterback Will Hammond better anyway.

Julio Gonzales Jr.: The Red Raiders took care of business against the Kansas Jayhawks last weekend, in a bizarre game that included plenty of thrown tortillas, allegations of a thrown pocket knife, and an interesting post-game discussion between both head coaches. Through all of that, and despite losing Morton to a leg injury in the second quarter, the Red Raiders secured a 42-17 victory.

Next up is a road trip to Tempe for a matchup against the defending Big 12 champion, the Arizona State Sun Devils. They are facing questions at the quarterback position after Leavitt missed last week's game against the Utah Utes. I expect both Morton and Leavitt to return for this game, but if they don't, Texas Tech holds an advantage at quarterback. Hammond has performed well in relief of Morton.

The Red Raiders are the favored team and appear to be more well-rounded overall. However, the Sun Devils have the potential to make this a competitive game, especially with Leavitt in the lineup and playing at home. I expect both Cameron Dickey and J'Koby Williams to be heavily involved, while the defense will aim to limit the effectiveness of Jordyn Tyson and Leavitt, if he plays.

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