Staff Predictions: Texas Tech Football vs. Utah
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While ESPN's "College GameDay" passed up the Texas Tech-Utah game, the "Big Noon Kickoff" crew at Fox Sports is set to highlight what could be one of the biggest games of the week.
The No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders travel to Salt Lake City to face the No. 16 Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium, which could set the stage for Big 12 action in 2025.
"It's a great opportunity for not only our program but for the university in general. Chance for our fans to showcase what Rice-Eccles is all about," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Can't wait for this matchup to kick off 🔥🔜
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 19, 2025
Who ya got when No. 17 @TexasTechFB takes on No. 16 @Utah_Football on Big Noon Saturday? 🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/4mVvcG5K8o
"If you look at what they've done, man, it is a tough place to play," Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said. "I've heard it's a great atmosphere, but it's a tough place to play. They're 21-5 [at home since 2022]."
In fact, outside of an upside-down 2024 season, the Utah Utes have lost one home game since Nov. 20, 2020, falling to Oregon in 2023.
That leaves it as no surprise that Utah is listed as the favorite by sportsbooks, hanging at around a field goal favorite. DraftKings has the Red Raiders listed as 3.5-point underdogs, with a moderate total of 57.5. That sets the Vegas-projected score as 30.5-27.
The Red Raiders have been hot on offense, scoring 45+ points in five of their last six games, dating back to last season. They have averaged 53.5 points per game (No. 2), 557.0 yards per game (No. 4), and 6.9 yards per play (No. 13).
However, the most critical thing will be how the new-look defense delivers against a revamped Utah offense. The Utes' offense looks electric early in the season, averaging 298.5 rushing yards per game and 6.0 yards per rush, fourth and 10th in the nation, respectively.
Quarterback Devon Dampier has been critical in the designed-rush department, and the running back duo of Wayshawn Parker and NaQuari Rogers will make sure that the Red Raiders' front seven stays assignment sound.
But with a transfer quartet of David Bailey, Romello Height, Skyler Gill-Howard, and Lee Hunter, Texas Tech could have the push necessary to hold Utah's running game back. It could be a busy afternoon for Jacob Rodriguez, John Curry, and Ben Roberts in the middle of the field.
The most electric matchup in college football this week? It’s between Texas Tech’s DL and Utah’s OL.
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) September 18, 2025
“This is best on best.” pic.twitter.com/apX9ilqkhe
"Their coaches do a great job; they stress you out in a lot of ways," Texas Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood said. "So, we just got to do a great job in our game planning this week and really work hard to make sure we can match the numbers and play with great leverage on Saturday."
It should be a close contest and could have heavy implications for how the Big 12 shakes up, with two of the three highest-ranked teams in the conference playing in a critical Week 4 showdown.
Prediction | Predictor |
|---|---|
Texas Tech 27-24 | Jordan Epp |
Texas Tech 38-31 | Kaleb Henry |
Texas Tech 31-27 | Spencer Schubert |
Texas Tech 27-24 | Geoff Exstrom |
Texas Tech 38-24 | JD Andress |
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-43389ae7766a84cbb8a6c33939d17968.jpeg "Jordan Epp")
Jordan Epp is a journalist who graduated from Texas A&M in 2022 and is passionate about telling stories, sharing news, and finding ways to entertain people through the medium of sports. He has formerly worked as a writer and editor at The Battalion and The Eagle, covering football in College Station, Texas, and served as the managing editor for PFSN.
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