Texas Tech-Kansas: How They Match Up

When Tech passes

With health and availability again a question for QBs Alan Bowman (lung) and McLane Carter (ankle), Jett Duffey could make his second start. In a 17-14 victory last week at TCU, Duffey was bad enough in the first half to be benched at halftime, then had to return, whereupon he made his mark with big plays: 62- and 57-yard passes and a 38-yard touchdown run that proved to be the game winner. Duffey's judgment lapses are a red flag against a KU defense that shares the FBS lead in turnovers gained with 18, including 11 interceptions. However, the Jayhawks have to be just mindful of WR Antoine Wesley, the FBS' third-leading receiver, and IR Ja'Deion High, who's been a go-to guy. Advantage: Texas Tech

When Tech runs

Tech's wheel of running backs has spotlighted a different guy nearly every week: Da'Leon Ward against Ole Miss, Ta'Zhawn Henry vs. Houston, DeMarcus Felton at Oklahoma State and Tre King at TCU. But there's been one constant: QB Jett Duffey's led the team in rushing every game in which he's played, putting 81 yards on Lamar, 86 on West Virginia and 83 on TCU. However, Tech OT Travis Bruffy (ankle) and C Paul Stawarz (concussion) are questoinable, and the Jayhawks aren't pushovers. LB Joe Dineen and DT Daniel Wise, veteran bright lights in a losing program, are fourth and fifth in KU history in career tackles for loss with 39 and 38. Tech ranks 62nd in rushing offense, KU 88th in rushing defense. Advantage: Texas Tech

When KU passes

How about this oddity: Tech ranks 122nd of 129 FBS teams in pass defense, but CB Adrian Frye was a second-team honoree on The AP midseason All-America team. The redshirt freshman is halfway to the Big 12 single-season record of 26 passes defended and, among his four interceptions, two pretty much sealed wins at Oklahoma State and TCU. As spotty as Tech's pass defense has been, does it matter against KU? The Jayhawks, with QBs Peyton Bender and Carter Stanley, are 107th in passing offense and 125th in yards per completion. They've been sacked 19 times, so the QBs haven't been able to make the most of WR Steven Sims, their best pass-game weapon. Advantage: Texas Tech

When KU runs

Kansas got some offensive punch last year from RB Khalil Herbert, who had a 291-yard game against West Virginia and finished the season with 663. Now Pooka Williams, a 170-pound freshman, has taken the spotlight as the Big 12's second-leading rusher. Williams' 539 yards rushing are third-most in Big 12 history by a true freshman RB in his first five career games, behind only Adrian Peterson and De'Mond Parker from Oklahoma. Williams' yards per carry average of 7.5 leads the Big 12, and he had a four-game streak with at least one run of more than 40 yards. Led by LBs Dakota Allen and Jordyn Brooks, Tech is fifth in the Big 12 and 49th in the FBS against the run, allowing 142 yards per game. Advantage: Texas Tech

Special teams

Tech P Dominic Panazzolo continues to erase opposing teams' return games, he and the Red Raiders having not allowed a punt return longer than 8 yards in the past 13 games. Panazzolo's also shown good touch kicking into short fields with nine punts downed or fair caught inside the 15 in his past seven games. His KU counterpart Kyle Thompson leads the Big 12 with a 44.0-yard average, buoyed by 11 of 50 yards-plus. Neither team's been deadly in the return game, though Tech's De'Quan Bowman had a 49-yard kickoff return and a 49-yard punt return early in the season. The disparity is at kicker: Tech's Clayton Hatfield has made 7 of 8 field goals, and Kansas' Gabriel Rui is 5 for 10, including three misses from inside 40 yards. Advantage: Texas Tech