Liberty Bowl Prediction 2024 | Two teams that saw each other every year in Southwest Conference action years ago will meet again in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Friday as the Texas Tech Red Raiders will square off against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The Red Raiders appear in their 42nd bowl game – and their second Liberty Bowl in the last four years. It’s the 38th meeting between these two programs, but just the first in a bowl game.
After the departure of most of the top-tier football programs from the Big 12, Texas Tech is now the conference leader in bowl appearances of all time, and they are now in their fourth straight postseason appearance.
They won the last three, including a rout of Cal in last year’s Independence Bowl.Arkansas actually has more bowl appearances than Texas Tech, with 44, dating back to the 1934 Dixie Classic when they tied Centenary.
The Razorbacks enter as slight sports betting favorites here, but don’t lock in your wagers until you’ve read our preview.
Liberty Bowl Prediction 2024: Texas Tech vs Arkansas Preview
NCAAF Spread/Total: Arkansas -1.5 / O/U 52
NCAAF Moneylines: Texas Tech -102 vs Arkansas -120
When: Friday, December 27, 2024, 7:00 pm ET
Where: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN
TV: ESPN
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Hulu
Liberty Bowl Prediction 2024 Final Score and Prediction Texas Tech vs Arkansas
Texas Tech is 2-0 straight up and against the spread in bowl games under Joey McGuire, and they are 4-1 straight up and against the spread when they have at least two weeks of rest. They won’t have offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, who took the head job at Florida Atlantic, and the team had already given defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter his walking papers.
However, the Red Raiders have a solid offensive system in place, and the defense might actually play better in a show of pride after losing their coordinator. While the defense has struggled, they should be able to get pressure on Taylen Green thanks to the absences on the Arkansas O-line, and the number of sacks and tackles of loss could be significant. Green also basically has a new receiver group running routes after the avalanche of transfers. Given the fact that both teams have such significant absences at the skill positions, this point total seems a bit on the high side. I think Texas Tech can bang out the win, but it won’t be aesthetically pleasing at all.
I predict a final score of Texas Tech 23, Arkansas 16.
^Why should you bet on the Red Raiders?
Tailback Tahj Brooks will close out his Red Raider career in the Liberty Bowl. In 2024, he has run for 1,505 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Behren Morton will not play, though, so freshman Will Hammond will be tasked with running the offense. Top wide receiver Josh Kelly has also opted out of the draft. Even so, the Texas Tech offense ranked 32nd in the nation in EPA per play and put up almost 39 points per game, on several occasions compensating for a porous defense, and the opt-outs for Texas Tech are nothing like the ravages that the Arkansas roster has suffered ahead of this game.
^Why should you put your money on the Razorbacks?
Quarterback Taylen Green transferred in from Boise State and is expected to play Friday and return to Fayetteville for 2025. He has had issues with ball security, but the dual-threat signal-caller picked up more than 3,300 combined yards and threw for 20 touchdowns against nine interceptions. However, the Razorbacks won’t have wide receiver Andrew Armstrong (78 catches for 1,140 yards), and three of their starting offensive linemen and several depth players on the defensive line have all opted out of the ball game. This opt-outs has pushed a line that initially had Arkansas favored by two to three points, depending on the book, to a slight underdog position.
^THE MATCHUP IS SET: @TexasTechFB will play @RazorbackFB in the 66th @AutoZone Liberty Bowl on December 27! #AZLB66 #WreckEm #WPS
— AutoZone Liberty Bowl (@AZOLibertyBowl) December 8, 2024
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Liberty Bowl Prediction 2024: Texas Tech vs Arkansas
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