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Urban Meyer claims Texas Tech is good enough to compete in the SEC

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax8 hours agoBarkleyTruax
Urban Meyer on Big Ten vs. SEC dominance: 'You have to recognize the transition of power'
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Texas Tech spent to win this offseason, and their investments are paying off through six weeks this season. Currently 5-0 and ranked No. 9 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, the Red Raiders appear to be the team to beat in the Big 12 this season.

Urban Meyer believes he’s seen enough out of Texas Tech this season to make a very bold claim. The former Ohio State and Florida coach believes they could compete in the SEC this season — and do well.

“I think they’re certainly a playoff team,” Meyer said of the Red Raiders. “And what I like — in the SEC, you just go out and size them up. And I tried to do that when we go on the road at Big Noon, I sized up Texas Tech. I think they could compete in the SEC. I really do.”

That’s a bold claim, even for a national championship-winning head coach out of the SEC. After all, Texas Tech is a team that hasn’t won more than eight games in a single season since 2009.

However, this year’s Texas Tech squad has a different feel to it. Offensively, they’re playing lights out and are leading the conference in scoring at 48.6 points per game. The Red Raiders are off to a 2-0 start to Big 12 action and have outscored their conference opponents 69-21. Defensively, Texas Tech hasn’t allowed more than one touchdown in either of those two matchups.

QB Behren Morton has starred in his role under center. He’s thrown for over 1,400 yards in five starts, including 12 touchdowns and three interceptions so far this season. Running backs Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams have combined for over 600 yards on the ground as well.

As a defense, the Red Raiders have produced 12 sacks, 18 pass breakups and five forced fumbles on the year. They’ve been as disruptive as any in the Big 12, and there’s no sign they’ll slow down in the coming weeks.

“I think they’ve got the body types, they’ve got speed, they’ve got they got some depth at quarterback,” Meyer continued. “We saw (that) right in front of us, and they put it to Utah that day.”

Looking ahead, the Red Raiders will host Kansas this weekend. However, Week 8’s road trip to No. 21 Arizona State looms. Texas Tech will also play BYU on Nov. 8, the only other undefeated team in the Big 12.