Week one of the college football season is here. Texas Tech plays Abilene Christian, and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview, and betting odds ahead of the matchup.
GAME INFO
Saturday, Aug. 31; 6:30 p.m. (CT); Jones AT&T Stadium; Lubbock, Texas.
TV: ESPN+
Texas Tech vs. Abilene Christian betting odds (OPEN): Texas Tech -32, O/U 57
Texas Tech vs. Abilene Christian Updated Betting Odds (Saturday 8/31 4P CT): Texas Tech -31.5, O/U 57.5
Records: (2023) Texas Tech, 7-6; Abilene Christian, 5-6.
Last Week: Opening game for both teams.
Series History: Texas Tech leads 6-3.
Last Meeting: 9/10/1949, Texas Tech won 20-0.
Fun Fact: These two schools played nine times between 1925 and 1949. This will be the first game between these two in the last 75 years.
Key Players
Abilene Christian
QB Maverick McIvor
This will not be Maverick’s first time in Lubbock. He spent three seasons at Texas Tech before transferring to Abilene Christian back in 2022. Over the last two years, Maverick has started 20 games for the Wildcats and has scored a total of 34 touchdowns. Although his completion percentage dropped in 2023, he cut his turnovers in half last season.
LB Cirby Coheley
The senior linebacker led the team in total sacks last season (5.5) and finished third on the team in tackles (61). The Wildcats are expecting another great year from their star linebacker.
Texas Tech
RB Tahj Brooks
While I am excited for the return of starting quarterback Behren Morton, I had to put running back Tahj Brooks here. Last season Brooks ended up being a top five rusher in all of college football with a whopping 1,538 yards and ten touchdowns. Nobody, and I mean nobody, runs the football with more authority than Tahj Brooks.
LB Ben Roberts
It only took Ben one week to crack the starting lineup as a true freshman last season, and he certainly made a name for himself in Lubbock. He finished the 2023 season with a team-high 107 tackles, which was tied for fourth most in the entire Big 12 Conference. It was also the most tackles by a Texas Tech freshman in over 30 years. Ben is not just one of the best linebackers in the conference; he is one of the best in the entire country.
Key Storylines
Abilene Christian
Keep it Respectable
The Wildcats had a rough 2023 season in the United Athletic Conference, turning in a 5-6 record. While expectations may not be high in Abilene, the last thing they need is to start the season off by getting blown out. I don’t think they stand much of a chance in this game, but they shouldn’t get beat by 50 on Saturday.
Texas Tech
What Will The Offense Look Like?
I talked about quarterback Behren Morton’s return and how excited I am to see him back fully healthy. It seems like Texas Tech has had a lot of bad luck with quarterback health over the years, and I just hope everyone can stay healthy. Outside of Tahj Brooks, I am very interested in seeing the new five-star wide receiver, Micah Hudson, in action for the first time.
Prediction: Texas Tech 45, Abilene Christian 7
This shouldn’t be much of a game at all. I would be surprised if Texas Tech still has their starters in by the time the fourth quarter comes around. The Red Raiders are too talented on both sides of the ball to let Abilene Christian hang around for long.
