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Posted at 10:15 AM EST.

8:00 PM EST. It’s not easy to make a case for spotting points with a Texas Tech squad after they ranked so poorly last year in so many defensive categories. the Red Raiders ranked dead last nationally in both scoring defense (43.7 points allowed per game) and total defense (554.3 total yards allowed per game), and ranked 126th in yards allowed per play (7.05). Furthermore, Tech went into Tempe last season and lost 55-43 in what was one of the wildest games of the year.

Tech is 1-0 this year after defeating FCS foe, Eastern Washington, 56-10 but the market will give them no credit for that win and neither will we. That win was on Sept 2 so the Red Raiders had two weeks to prepare for this one and we trust them to be ready. Tech’s new starting quarterback Nic Shimonek was the star of the show against EWU. In his first career start, Shimonek completed his first 14 pass attempts and finished 26-for-30 with 384 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Although it was his first start, Shimonek is a senior that has thrown 9 TD’s against just one pick over his career. That’s the skinny on the Red Raiders, a team that has very little market appeal so it’s rather curious that they’re spotting a converted TD to an explosive offense that hung 55 on them last year. Even more interesting is this game opened at 7½, so the odds makers hung a hook on there too. Why? It’s because the odds makers know how bad this edition of ASU is and so do we.

The San Diego State team that the Sun Devils just faced last week is not as strong as its two 11-win predecessors. SDSU’s offensive line is rebuilding, and the team is counting on 12 freshmen to contribute right now. But the Aztecs still physically dominated an Arizona State squad with an identity crisis. The Sun Devils barely got by New Mexico State in Week 1 and then were beaten in all three phases of the game by the Aztecs. San Diego State held a 279-44 edge on the ground (and held the Sun Devils to 1.4 yards per carry). The Sun Devils want to be a play-action offense, but they can't run the ball effectively enough. Offensive line play has been the issue in this program for several seasons now, and the continued poor blocking is exacerbated by the fact that the offense is dealing with a third coordinator in three years. And the worst news for Arizona State is that for all the troubles on offense and defense, the special teams might be the worst of the three. The number says Tech wins going away and we’re on board for that. 

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