Getty Receiver Erik Ezukanma of the Texas Tech Red Raiders leads the nation in receiving.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0) will host the Florida International Panthers (1-1) at Jones AT&T Stadium on Saturday, September 18.
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The game (7 p.m. ET start time) isn’t on TV anywhere, but anyone in the US can watch FIU vs Texas Tech live on ESPN+:
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Once signed up for ESPN+, you can watch FIU vs Texas Tech live on the ESPN app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
FIU vs Texas Tech Preview
The Red Raiders are looking for their third win in a row after taking Houston down Week 1, 38-21, before handling Stephen F. Austin last weekend, winning 28-22.
Through his first two games, Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough has completed 62.2% of his passes for 394 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Shough has been inconsistent, but the Raiders have managed to put up 33 points a game on the shoulders of the nation’s leading wide receiver, Erik Ezukanma, who has 13 catches for 323 yards through two games. A solid run game that is averaging 167.5 yards per contest has also helped things.
“That’s a guy that you’ve got to make sure that somehow, some way you’ve got somebody on him,” FIU coach Butch Davis said about Ezukanma, per The Washington Post. “And the thing that makes it very, very difficult is that they do have a very good, physical, strong, powerful running back.”
Texas Tech has been solid on defense so far this season, surrendering 21.5 points and a measly 54.0 yards on the ground per game.
“I think as the game wears on, we get stronger,” Red Raiders coach Matt Wells told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. “Quite frankly, the depth at linebacker — playing six ‘backers — has allowed that, because those guys have rotated in quite a bit and they’ve stayed fresh. But that’s where we want to be.”
As for the Panthers, they’re coming off a 23-17 win over Texas State last weekend. Florida International quarterback Max Bortenschlager played well in the win, completing 17 of 34 passes for 259 yards and two scores. Running back D’Vonte Price also added 111 yards on 23 carries in the win.
“He’s a big back (and) runs hard,” Wells said about Price. “He runs behind his pads, and he’s got a big O-line in front of him. The two tackles are big and very athletic. I think the interior three guys are nasty. They look strong on tape.”
FIU has averaged 32.5 points on offense while allowing just 16.5 points on defense in its two games so far, but it’s facing a different kind of beast this week in Texas Tech, who is 1-0 in the all-time series between these two teams.