Quarterback to Back: Previewing the Quarterback Matchup between Oklahoma State and Texas Tech

There is a case to be made for true freshman Maealiuaki Smith taking OSU’s first snaps on Senior Day, but there’s been no news out of Stillwater — including during Mike Gundy’s pre-Texas Tech press conference — to indicate that will be the case. So, heading into Senior Day, we will assume that the super senior will get the reins, at least to start.

We do have a pretty good idea of who will be starting for Texas Tech. Behren Morton will return to Stillwater not only leading Bowman’s former team but also leading the Big 12’s top scoring offense.

Before we dig into the preview between Cowboys and Red Raiders’ signal callers, let’s stack up their stats.

Tech has lost three of its past four games after an exciting 5-1 start. But with that most recent win, Morton and the Red Raiders beat No. 22 Iowa State on the road and made Tech bowl eligible, something no quarterback for the Cowboys will be able to pull off in 2024. And at least some of the Red Raiders’ struggles can be attributed to Morton’s health. He’s been playing through an injury to his non-throwing shoulder which held him out of the second half of a loss to TCU. He missed time last year due to a different shoulder injury.

He currently ranks fourth in the Big 12 in passing yards per game and third in passing TDs. Morton’s 1.6 interception percentage ranks behind only Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson in the Big 12. And it doesn’t hurt when you have Tahj Brooks, who’s on pace to be Big 12’s second-leading rusher for consecutive seasons.

Full Circle for Both QBs

Bowman and Morton just barely missed each other in Lubbock. The latter was a true freshman in 2021, Bowman’s first at Michigan. That season, Morton appeared in two games. He threw his first career pass attempt against then-No. 7 OSU. He went just 1-for-3 for zero yards.

But a year later, Morton made his first career start in Stillwater, throwing for 379 yards and two touchdowns and running for another. But he did throw one pick and was eventually outgunned by Spencer Sanders. Now in his third year as Tech’s QB1, you can bet he’ll be keen to get a win in BPS.

The Cowboys Need to Get After Him

One of the biggest issues about Tech’s offense — and one that’s especially concerning considering Morton’s injury history — is his propensity to hit the deck. Therein lies an opportunity for the Cowboys.

Morton has been among the more sacked quarterbacks in the Big 12 this season, and it’s gotten even worse of late. He’s been taken down in the backfield 10 times over the past two games including seven (!) by Colorado last week. Tech is averaging 2.1 sacks allowed per game which is T-73rd in the nation and T-11th in the league. Conversely, the Cowboys have at least been able to keep Bowman & Co. clean. OSU is T-11th nationally tied for first in the Big 12 with just nine sacks allowed all year.

The Cowboys aren’t quite prolific in QB sacking sans Collin Oliver and Nick Martin, but Morton can be flustered and when he gets pressured, it shows. According to Pro Football Focus, Morton’s offensive rating drops from an 84.2 to a 39.2 when under pressure.

While OSU, apparently, is set to play a lame duck quarterback with no postseason hopes remaining, Tech is looking to finish strong with their QB in hopes that it will springboard Morton and its offense into a big 2025.

The Red Raiders lost their footing a bit after a fast start. But if they finish strong, they can still get to eight regular season wins and land a decent bowl matchup. The Cowboys just want to stop the bleeding long enough to enjoy Senior Day. Which offense will show up? Which QB will get his own version of revenge? I’m done feeling confident in predictions for this season.