WACO, Texas – No. 23 Baylor is ranked for the first time in three years thanks to a 5-0 start that includes impressive back-to-back Big 12 wins over Iowa State and Kansas State. The Bears next host Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon as the Red Raiders make their first-ever visit to McLane Stadium.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 LINE: Baylor -11
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"We didn't work all year to be 5-0 and No. 23 in the country," said Baylor coach Matt Rhule when asked about breaking into the rankings. "That's not the high point. If this is the high point, then we had a bad year, so we're going to fight to just be 1-0 this week." Texas Tech bounced back from a 55-16 loss at fifth-ranked Oklahoma to defeat No. 21 Oklahoma State 45-35 last week and will be playing its third top-25 opponent in a row. The win over the Cowboys snapped a 10-game losing streak at home against ranked opponents for the Red Raiders, dating back to a 20-10 victory over TCU in 2013.
ABOUT TEXAS TECH (3-2, 1-1 Big 12)
Junior quarterback Jett Duffey, filling in for injured starter Alan Bowman (left shoulder), completed 26-of-44 passes for 424 yards and four touchdowns against Oklahoma State and also ran for another score. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks was named the Walter Camp Foundation's National Defensive Player of the Week after finishing with 19 tackles, including three sacks and four tackles for loss, and also forced a fumble. Safety Douglas Coleman III leads the nation with five interceptions, all of which have come in the past three games, including two last week against Oklahoma State.
ABOUT BAYLOR (5-0, 2-0)
Quarterback Charlie Brewer doesn't get much acclaim on the national stage but is one of just three FBS quarterbacks along with Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon State's Jake Luton to have thrown for 11 or more touchdowns and no interceptions. He has completed 93-of-142 passes (65.5 percent) for 1,202 yards and 11 touchdowns with senior wide receiver Denzel Mims his top target with 29 receptions for 438 yards and five TDs. Junior defensive end James Lynch set a Baylor record for sacks in a Big 12 game with three at Kansas State and ranks second in the Big 12 with six sacks while linebacker Clay Johnston ranks third in the Big 12 with an average of 9.6 tackles per game.
EXTRA POINTS
1. This is the 78th meeting between Texas Tech and Baylor with the series tied, 38-38-1. The Bears won last year's meeting 35-24 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex.
2. Texas Tech is 6-0 against Baylor in Waco during the Big 12 era.
3. Baylor has allowed a total of 26 points in the first three quarters of its first five games.
PREDICTION: Baylor 28, Texas Tech 17