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FACTS & STATS: Site: Memorial Stadium (50,250) -- Lawrence, Kansas. Television:FSN. Home Record: Texas Tech 2-0, Kansas 2-0. Away Record: Texas Tech 1-0, Kansas 0-1. Neutral Record: Texas Tech 0-0, Kansas 0-0. Conference Record: Texas Tech 0-0, Kansas 0-0. Series Record: Texas Tech leads, 11-1.

GAME NOTES: Looking to remain undefeated on the season, the Texas Tech Red Raiders will open Big 12 Conference action this Saturday in Lawrence when they take on the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium.

The Red Raiders opened the year by blasting Texas State and New Mexico State by a combined score of 109-23. However, the team had a much tougher challenge last week against Nevada, needing a touchdown in the final minute to grab a narrow one-point win. It was the sixth consecutive win for Texas Tech dating back to last season, marking the best run for the program since winning 12 in a row from 2007 to 2008.

The Jayhawks also started the new season with back-to-back wins, but unlike Texas Tech, the road to those victories was not easy. Kansas surrendered 24 points in a win over McNeese State and only defeated Northern Illinois by three points at home (45-42). Kansas was eventually done in by its lack of defense last time out, as Georgia Tech clobbered the Jayhawks, 66-24.The Jayhawks were idle this past weekend. Kansas is just 2-14 in Big 12 action over the last two seasons, so it will be interesting to see if the team can get it together and be competitive in 2011.

Texas Tech has dominated Kansas in this relatively young series, winning 11 of the 12 matchups. The lone win for the Jayhawks came back in 2001, as they narrowly defeated the Red Raiders, 34-31, in overtime. However, since that win, Texas Tech has captured the last four meetings, including a 42-21 decision back in 2009.

The Red Raiders are nowhere near the top 25 rankings in the nation, but if the offense continues to play at a high level that might change. Texas Tech has conquered three straight opponents with a balanced offensive attack.

First-year starter Seth Doege has been phenomenal under center, better than coach Tommy Tubberville could have hoped for. The junior gunslinger has completed an eye-popping 77.4 percent of his throws for 949 yards and 11 touchdowns. Even better, Doege has yet to toss an INT on the season.

The majority of Doege's passes have gone in the direction of Darrin Moore and Eric Ward. Moore was leading the team with 21 receptions for 339 yards, but a knee injury will leave the receiver sidelined for quite some time. That means Ward will have to continue to produce. So far the wideout has hauled in a team-best five touchdowns, to go along with his 144 yards on 16 catches.

Making the passing attack even tougher to defend is the play of Eric Stephens out of the backfield. The tailback for Texas Tech has rumbled for 344 yards and has found the end zone five times. Two of those touchdowns came in the team's victory over Nevada, as the junior rumbled for 134 yards on 5.2 yards per attempt.

While Stephens was once again impressive, the game was won thanks to Doege's play. The Red Raiders were trailing in the second half, when Doege tossed two of his three touchdowns, with the last one coming in the final minute of play, giving Texas Tech the win.

The win against Nevada was not a perfect display of dominance. For the first time in three games the defense for coach Tubberville was ineffective.

Texas Tech allowed 34 points in the contest and a big problem seemed to be against the run, as the Wolf Pack rumbled for 312 yards and two scores. On top of that the secondary had trouble as well, surrendered 250 yards and two more scores through the air.

The effort against the pass was a bit shocking since the defense had not allowed a passing touchdown in the previous two games, but defending the run seems to be a glaring issue for this squad.

So far the Red Raiders are allowing 225.7 ypg, and while opponents have only scored four times on the ground that number will certainly increase if the front line can not plug up the holes. The Red Raiders will get a chance to provide a better effort this weekend against a Kansas offense that is averaging 37.0 ppg.

The reason the Jayhawks are producing at that level is because the team has devastated the opposition with the run, averaging 235.0 yards per game. James Sims and Darrian Miller are a two-headed monster that most defenses do not want to face.

Sims and Miller have scored three touchdowns apiece, while Sims is leading the squad with 254 yards, followed by Miller's 173 yards. This offense does possess a passing attack as well. Sure, it plays second fiddle to the ground game, but Jordan Webb has proved that keying on the run is a mistake.

So far the signal caller has thrown for 575 yards and six touchdowns and just like Doege, he has not thrown an interception. In the recent matchup against Georgia Tech, Miller rushed for 53 yards and two scores, while Sims added 40 yards. However the two tailbacks combined for just 22 carries because the team was so far behind and needed to abandon the run.

Webb threw for 148 yards in the contest, but gave way to Quinn Macham, who added 63 yards and one score through the air.

If the defense can keep Kansas in the game, than the Jayhawks will likely lean heavily on Sims and Miller since Texas Tech has a problem stuffing the run.

However, that is a lot to ask of a defensive unit that is allowing 44.0 ppg. So far this defense has done nothing right for Turner Gill and in a conference as tough as the Big 12, things might get worse before they get better.

Kansas was susceptible against the run a year ago, allowing over 200.0 yards per game, and that seems to be the same problem for the team in 2011. Through three games the Jayhawks have been gashed for 282 yards per contests and have already surrendered 12 rushing touchdowns.

Most of that damage was caused by Georgia Tech, as the Jayhawks allowed a school worst 604 rushing yards. Georgia Tech averaged a mind-boggling 12.1 ypc and found the end zone seven times via the run.

The defense also allowed 164 yards through the air, which is terrible considering Georgia Tech completed only four of its seven passes. That adds up to 768 total yards allowed, which is the second most ever for a Kansas team, falling behind only the 1978 squad's 799 yards surrendered against Nebraska.

The scoreboard might break in this matchup. Kansas and Texas Tech will take the field with tremendous offensive units backed by mediocre defensive play. The Red Raiders have been the better team defensively and that will likely lead to a win for coach Tubberville's squad.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Texas Tech 56, Kansas 38