PREVIEW: West Virginia Looks to Bounce Back Versus Texas Tech

The West Virginia Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1) welcomes the Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-1, 0-1) for Homecoming weekend.

Texas Tech has notched three wins on the season over Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Florida International, with their only loss coming to Texas last week 70-35. In comparison, West Virginia has picked up two wins over LIU and Virginia Tech with losses to Maryland and last week in the final seconds at Oklahoma.

Tech is averaging 301 yards per game through the air in the first four games of the season, which sits 20th nationally and third in the Big 12 Conference. Starting quarterback Tyler Shough was knocked out of the game versus Texas in the second quarter, and Henry Colombi filled in, throwing for 324 yards on 17-23 passing and three touchdowns. He made his first career start last season against the Mountaineers, passing for 166 yards, running for another 40, and two total touchdowns in the 34-27 win.

West Virginia is settling into a two quarterback system, with Jarret Doege getting most of the snaps, while Garrett Greene has seen his role increase over the last two games, primarily in the running game.

Erik Ezukanma leads the Big 12 in receiving, averaging 101.5 yards per game and Kaylon Geiger is second on the team with 58.0 ypg. On the other side, Byrce Ford-Wheaton leads the Mountaineers in receiving, hauling in 54.8 ypg, and had a team season-high 93 yards last week against Oklahoma.

The Texas Tech rushing attack is led by Taijh Brooks' 94.7 ypg, including rushing for a career-high 134 yards in the season opener versus Houston. West Virginia's Leddie Brown averages 80.3 yards per game. The last time Brown ran in Morgantown, he went for a career-high 161 yards against nationally-ranked Virginia Tech.

Defensively, The Red Raiders rank in the bottom half of every defensive category in the Big 12. They allow 33.5 points per game, ranking ninth, and 377.5 of total offense places them eight. However, they have a Big 12 best six interceptions by six different Red Raiders, placing them 10th nationally. Meanwhile, West Virginia ranks in the top 25 in scoring (25) and rushing defense (23). Additionally, West Virginia is fifth in the NCAA in tackles for a loss with 37 and their 14 sacks lead the Big 12, with Taijh Alson's conference-leading 4.5 sacks.

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