Matador Report

Texas Tech hosts No. 3 Illinois tonight in a rare nonconference home-and-home, and Aaron Dickens and Chris Level preview it. They break down Illinois’s fast, ball-screen-free style, the Illini’s size and rebounding edge, the contrast with Texas Tech’s pace, and why Texas Tech’s turnover pressure and three-point shooting could decide the game. They also talk about how Texas Tech might use Jamichael Stillwell, the freshman talent on Illinois’s roster, and why the hosts think the crowd and environment could matter. Plus, a quick tangent on whether the ball affects shooting. Then they turn to college football’s biggest news: the expanded College Football Playoff. Aaron and Chris argue the 24-team format is good for the Big 12 and Texas Tech, explain how it changes the stakes of late-season games and hosting opportunities, and discuss how conferences will decide automatic bids without title games, the case for a 10-game Big 12 schedule, and what it all means for December, college basketball scheduling and the bowl season. They also talk about the Texas Tech-Oklahoma State, BYU-Baylor and Utah-Arizona games ahead in the Big 12 race.

Texas Tech found a way against West Virginia, but this was no comfortable night. We break down the quarterback play, the late defensive finish and the warning signs that still matter heading into Oklahoma State. Plus, the fourth-down decision, a bruised group of playmakers and a broadcast that gave us plenty to talk about.

Texas Tech hosts West Virginia on Saturday night in the latest kickoff the program has had in 23 years, and Aaron Dickens and Chris Level preview it. They talk about what to expect from a sold-out crowd, a drone show and a big fireworks display, how West Virginia might defend Thomas Castellanos now that everyone knows he’s the starter, and why Rich Rodriguez’s offense, with Michael Hawkins leading it, still scares them even though the Mountaineers’ defense has struggled. They also dig into a stat that surprised them: Joey McGuire is 15-5 in one-score games, the best record among active Big 12 coaches. Aaron and Chris talk about the culture behind it, the “what’s next” mentality and what it means for a Texas Tech team that has responded well to the Cincinnati loss. Plus: the Big 12 weekend, including BYU at Utah, TCU at Arizona on Friday night, Iowa State at Baylor, Oklahoma State at Kansas State and Houston, and why Aaron wants to see Arizona hand Utah a loss. They also touch on Cincinnati’s coaching situation.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is stepping down, and Aaron Dickens and Chris Level break down what it means for the conference and for Texas Tech. They look back at his tenure, including the deals he made and the criticism of his administrative record, and discuss why the timing may be tied to a bigger opportunity elsewhere. They also talk about who could replace him and what kind of leader the league needs right now. Then they get into the bigger issue: the Big 12 appears split over how to handle spending. They discuss the push among some schools to limit or tax programs that invest heavily in athletics, why Aaron and Chris think that approach could hurt the league’s ability to compete with the SEC and Big Ten, and why the next commissioner’s mindset matters for Texas Tech. Plus, they react to Texas Tech’s basketball opener and the new faces in the backcourt, preview a big matchup against Illinois next week, and look ahead to tonight’s first College Football Playoff rankings and where Houston, Arizona and Texas Tech might land.

Texas Tech gets back in the win column with a victory over Arizona, moving to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12, and Thomas Castellanos was behind center. Aaron Dickens and Chris Level break down the quarterback change, why the offense looked more coherent and balanced, and how the vertical passing game, misdirection runs and Castellanos’ mobility gave Mack Leftwich’s unit a different identity.  They also credit the defense, which dominated the line of scrimmage, kept Arizona one-dimensional and got big games from Austin Romaine and John Curry. Plus, they talk about what made Noah Fifita so dangerous even without a running game. Then it’s on to McGuire’s historic stat, the college football landscape around Utah, BYU and Arizona, where Texas Tech might land in the first College Football Playoff rankings, and what’s ahead against West Virginia, Baylor, Oklahoma State and TCU.