DMN SMU-Tech Preview

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Preview: SMU at Texas Tech


01:29 AM CDT on Saturday, September 2, 2006

By KEITH WHITMIRE / The Dallas Morning News

SMU at Texas Tech
6 p.m., Jones AT&T Stadium (KTCK-AM 1310, KTDK-FM 104.1, KHYI-FM 95.3)

Line: Texas Tech by 26½

What's on the line
SMU: The Mustangs' toughest non-conference game, by far, needs to be one that builds confidence, not derails momentum.

Texas Tech: Get the offense in sync, the defense settled in and don't underestimate an SMU team that has improved since the teams last met in 2004.

Pressing questions
SMU: How will starting quarterback Justin Willis respond to pressure in his first college game?

Texas Tech: How will a new quarterback, running back and secondary – last year's strengths – perform for the first time?

New kids
SMU: Freshman cornerback Bryan McCann will get indoctrinated against what has been the nation's best passing offense.

Texas Tech: Freshman Baron Batch will be part of a three-man committee, along with Shannon Woods and Kobey Lewis, asked to fill versatile Taurean Henderson's role at running back.

Stat that tells the story
Over SMU's last 24 games, the team that led after the first quarter is 17-5 (two were tied after one quarter).

Key matchup
Texas Tech receivers vs. SMU secondary: One of the nation's deepest receiving corps faces a secondary that returns one starter.

SMU wins if ...
Tech, one of the last Astroturf holdouts, doesn't adjust to the new FieldTurf at Jones AT&T Stadium and fumbles multiple times and allows SMU to get short scoring drives.

Texas Tech wins if ...
The Red Raiders don't let SMU's young QB get comfortable, and the Tech offense clicks with new QB Graham Harrell.

Predicted score
Texas Tech 36, SMU 10