Jordan Smith | Sports Writer
The Baylor Bears are looking to end their four game losing streak as they take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders at 5 p.m. today at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Shootout.
The Bears lead the all-time record against the Red Raiders 37-36-1, with Baylor’s last win against Texas Tech coming on Sept. 15 2015 with a final score of 63-35. Baylor also leads the record in matchups in Arlington, 5-1.
Freshman quarterback Zach Smith is looking to bounce back quickly from the game last week against Kansas State University where he had three interceptions and one fumble. Smith said he enjoys the short week in between games and hopes that it will help him move on to the next game quicker.
“I would say better in the aspect of not having to anticipate the game so much. We are getting the same amount of practice in, we are just missing the one off-day,” Smith said. “I think it’s about the same.”
Smith also knows about how in the past history with quarterbacks with Seth Russell and Bryce Petty, they both got to have years of watching the quarterback in front of them and learn how to play the position. Smith however only has half of a season.
“Those guys had a few years underneath their belt going in and getting their first start,” Smith said. “I just have to go in and prepare for it. I knew that something like last year might happen, so I just had to come in and do my best when my time was called.”
Texas Tech is 4-7 on the season with a record of 2-6 in Big 12 play. The Red Raiders have averaged 42.7 points per game and lead all off college football in passing yards with 5,210 yards.
Head coach Jim Grobe said that he believes Friday’s game will be a very competitive matchup against a very good team in the Red Raiders.
“Their offense is very prolific, a lot of speed at quarterback, good running backs, all of those things. Defensively, they’ve had their moments. They struggled against Iowa State last week, but I think you’ve got to have to prepare for everything this late in the season,” Grobe said. “I’ve got a feeling they’ll be a little bit like us. I think we’ve been stung a little bit and feeling a little bit of a sting from these losses that we have had, and I’m not sure they feel good about being beaten at Iowa State. I have a feeling that we are going to have our hands full. They will be ready to play and hopefully we will be ready to play. We are expecting them to play good football.”
Senior linebacker Aiavion Edwards said that in order to turn things around that the Bears need to be more focused and determined on the field.
“I think we have to just stay determined, continue to practice hard and just improve on the places that we have been slacking on lately,” Edwards said. “I think that there’s nothing that’s just going to stick out tremendously, but just a lot of small things that need to be corrected.”
