Texas Tech vs. Arizona State Game Preview

Texas Tech will look to go 7-0 as they take on Arizona State in Big 12 conference play.

Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback rushing room against the Texas Tech Red Raiders . Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

The unbeaten Texas Tech Red Raiders, arguably one of the most dominant and unexpected teams in the country, will travel to Mountain America Stadium to play a strong Arizona State team in this Big 12 conference game showdown.

Game Matchup: No. 7 Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-0 overall, 3-0 Big 12) at Arizona State Sun Devils (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big 12)

Date of Game: Saturday, October 18

Kickoff Time: 1:00 p.m. MST

Location of the Game: Mountain America Stadium – Tempe, Arizona

TV/Streaming Coverage of Game: FOX and on the FOX Sports app

Radio: SiriusXM channel 119 or listen via the Varsity Network App

The football series history between the Red Raiders and the Sun Devils

Texas Tech holds the all-time series lead over Arizona State with a 3-2 record against the Sun Devils. This upcoming game will be the sixth meeting between these two football programs and the second as both teams are now members of the Big 12 Conference.

The Red Raiders are looking for their first win against the Sun Devils in Tempe. Texas Tech is 0-2 all-time in games played at Arizona State's home field, with their last trip there resulting in a high-scoring 68-55 loss in 2016 despite Patrick Mahomes' passing for 540 yards with five touchdowns through the air. These two teams played each other last season with Texas Tech winning the game in Lubbock by a final score of 30-22.

First, a look at Texas Tech as they prepare to take on a talented Arizona State team.

They are currently rated No. 7 and one of the few FBS teams still unbeaten, the Red Raiders have been one of the biggest stories in college football under head coach Joey McGuire. They have an impressive road win against ranked Utah this season and have the best average margin of win percentage in the country (35.3), demonstrating their ability to not just win this season but to win convincingly.

Texas Tech's offense is first in the FBS in total offense with 558.2 yards per game. With a strong passing attack and a recent surge in the running game, spearheaded by running back Cameron Dickey, who had an incredible 263-yard rushing performance last week, the offense is well-balanced even if starting quarterback Behren Morton is unable to play in this game due to an injury.

The Red Raiders' defense is only allowing just 12.2 points per game, the defense is ranked an amazing No. 9 in the FBS in total defense. They have an opportunistic secondary and a strong defensive front that can put pressure on the quarterback, making them national title contenders.

Since Behren Morton suffered his third minor injury last week, backup Will Hammond is ready to fill in if necessary, as Morton is listed as questionable for the game.

Now, a look at Arizona State as they hope to pull off the upset and give the Red Raiders their first loss of the season

After suffering a crushing 42-10 road loss to Utah last week, the Sun Devils are hoping to recover from that loss and get back on track. After going to the College Football Playoffs in 2024, coach Kenny Dillingham's team is still in a strong position in the Big 12 standings and will be hoping for a big win at home.

Last week, ASU's defense gave up 276 rushing yards to Utah due to its inability to stop the Utes' running game. Their ability to stop Texas Tech's running attack will require a major improvement from what they showed last week. However, on offense, they have playmakers like running back Raleek Brown and wide receiver
Jordyn Tyson, the Sun Devils' attack, which is led by quarterback Sam Leavitt, has the potential to put points on the board against the Red Raiders. They must, however, find a way to shield the quarterback against Texas Tech's outstanding pass rush as Leavitt's return is essential to ASU's chances after missing last week's game due to a lower-body injury. He is listed as probable for this weekend's game and is likely to play.

Arizona State, with Leavitt playing, only lost one game by four on the road to Mississippi State. In the other four games he has played in, the Sun Devils won those four games, including a road win against Baylor and a victory against TCU. Not only does Leavitt have over 1,000 yards passing through five games, but he is also the second leading rusher on the team and has five rushing touchdowns this season. However, the Sun Devils rank 64th in total offense and 84th in scoring offense among the 134 FBS teams.