August 28, 2023 |
Photo – WY vs TX Tech – Bigfoot99 file photo
Game week in Laramie is finally here. The Wyoming Cowboys open the season Saturday evening in Laramie against Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders are riding big waves of hype and bold predictions coming into the season under second-year head coach Joey McGuire. At the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, sports writer Nathan Giese wrote on Friday that this is the most anticipated football season for Texas Tech in the last decade.
The Red Raiders look good on paper. The lingering question in Lubbock this week is all the hype real? On paper, they look good.
Tech players and coaches have been insisting for weeks that the offensive line improved drastically over last year when the Raiders went 8-5 overall and 5-4 in conference play.
Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley admitted earlier this month that his QBs had to scramble to avoid the pressure. The big question for Red Raider fans is if quarterback Tyler Shough will start and finish every game.
Since arriving in Lubbock, Shough has appeared in 11 out of a possible 26 games, the product of a broken collarbone in 2021 that was reaggravated in 2022. Shough has said staying on the field is a focus for him. To do that, he’ll need to stay upright and avoid big hits.
So fans and sports writers continue to worry about the Texas O-Line. Is it improved? Last season, the Red Raiders gave up 41 sacks, tied for the 14th-most in the nation.
Many have said the unit has grown. It will be put to the test in Laramie this week against a big and seasoned Cowboy defense.
Oddsmakers have Wyoming as a two-touchdown underdog going into the contest. The over/under is set at 52.5.
Get ready for football. Kickoff is set for War Memorial Stadium Saturday evening. We’ll have the radio broadcast for you here on Bigfoot 99 starting with the pregame show at 4:00 p.m.
