WHERE: Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 18, 6:00 PM

WATCH IT ON: ESPN +

SERIES HISTORY vs Florida International: 1-0 (56-3 Texas Tech - 2005)

WESTGATE SUPERBOOK ODDS: Texas Tech -21, (OVER/UNDER): 55

- The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Texas Tech’s last 11 games when playing as the favorite.

- Texas Tech is 5-9 ATS in their last 14 games.

- The combined points per game average of Tech and FIU is 65.5. 10.5 points higher than the 55 point total.

- Florida International is 1-5 ATS in their last six games.

- Texas Tech are 6-0 SU in their last six games against Conference USA opponents.

- The combined points per game allowed from Tech and FIU is 38. 17 points less than the 55 point total.

- The total has gone OVER in five of FIU’s last seven games.

- Florida International is 1-1 on the season. The Panthers lost 23-17 in an overtime contest last Saturday to Texas State and won 48-10 against Long Island on opening weekend.

- The Panthers win over Long Island two weeks ago was the programs first win since November 2019 when they upset the Miami Hurricanes 30-24. FIU was (0-5) in 2020.

- Florida International head coach Butch Davis is no stranger to the position. Davis has an 87-65 record as head coach at the collegiate level with stints at the University of Miami, North Carolina, and Florida International. Davis was 24-35 over four seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

- Florida International had five players named to the Conference USA preseason watch list.

- The Panthers average 184 more yards per game (497 YPG) than the Red Raider defense has yards allowed (313 YPG).

- FIU averages 11 more points per game (32.5) than the Red Raiders have given up (21.5).

- Florida International averages 175 more yards per game rushing (229.5) than the Red Raider defense has allowed (54.5).

- The FIU offense has four turnovers on the season and the defense has yet to record a takeaway.

1) Running back D’Vonte Price headlines the Panther offense heading into the 2021 season. Price was named to the C-USA watch list, the Doak Walker watch list, and the Senior Bowl watch list prior to this season. In five games a season ago, Price rushed for 581 yards on 85 carries with four touchdowns along with being named to the 2020 Conference USA honorable mention team. Price's 6.84 yards per carry led the conference and was 11th-best in the country in 2020. Price is leading the Panthers with 274 rushing yards and three touchdowns through two games this season.

2) Defensive tackle Davon Strickland enters the 2021 season on the Conference USA and Lombardi Award watch list after leading the defense with four tackles for loss in 2020. The defensive tackle was also named to the Conference USA honorable mention team for his efforts in 2020. Strickland started in all five games a season ago and finished the season with 15 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and was also named to the Phil Steele All-Conference USA third team. Strickland has seven tackles in two games this season to go along with one sack.

3) Quarterback Max Bortenschlager has 525 yards passing while completing 60.8% of his throws (31-of-51), with four touchdowns on the season. He made nine career starts at the University of Maryland in 2017 before transferring to FIU in 2020. Bortenschlager passed for 1,313 yards and ten touchdowns for the Terrapins in 2017 and helped wide receiver DJ Moore break the Maryland record for receptions in a season. He played in all five games for FIU before earning the starting quarterback job in the final two games of the 2020 season. Bortenschlager threw for 284 yards on 22-48 attempts and added two touchdown passes.

Texas Tech once again seemed to play down to the level of their competition on Saturday and are now 1-5 against the spread in their last six games when favored. The Vegas line of -21 this week against FIU is probably lower than Texas Tech fans would have expected to see a couple of days ago, but until the Red Raiders show out against an inferior opponent no number would make bettors feel safe.

The (OVER/UNDER) total of 55 seems low and tempting but the most consistent trend around this football team the past several seasons has been staying under the point total when favored in the matchup. The under has now hit in ten of the last 11 games and Tech could make it 11 out of 12 as the favorite this Saturday.

This week’s game against Florida International should be a battle of the running games. FIU averages 229.5 yards per game on the ground while Texas Tech averages 172.5 ypg. The Red Raiders should have an advantage in this matchup with a rush defense that’s allowing only 54.5 ypg rushing compared to 133.5 ypg allowed by the Panthers. Both teams are averaging low time of possession numbers so establishing the running game and controlling the clock will be key factors in this football game. Tahj Brooks has emerged as a key contributor in this offense and Xavier White burst onto the scene Saturday night with his first big game of the season. It wouldn’t surprise me to see SaRodorick Thompson get a few carries under his belt this week as the Red Raiders get ready to open up Big 12 play against the Texas Longhorns a week from Saturday.