The Tigers are 5-4 (1-4) with a win at Nevada and losses to Nebraska, at Oklahoma State, Texas and Baylor. The Tigers are coming off of a season in which they went 10-4 (5-3) and return 9 starters.
QB Blaine Gabbert is completing 58% of his passes for 2,364 yards with 17 touchdown passes (3 at Illinois, vs. Furman and at Nevada) and 7 interceptions (3 at Oklahoma State). He has also rushed for 3 touchdowns (1 each at Illinois, vs. Furman and vs. Nebraska). He went 30-51 (59%) for 468 yards and two TD's vs. Baylor
RB's Derrick Washington and Kendial Lawrence have rushed for 750 yards on 184 carries (4.1 yards/carry) and 5 touchdowns this season. Washington had a 100 yard game vs. Bowling Green and has had touchdowns in 5 games (vs. Bowling Green, Furman, at Oklahoma State, at Colorado and vs. Baylor). He also has 21 catches with 4.3 yards/catch. Lawrence's biggest game was vs. Furman where he carried 10 times for 77 yards (7.7 yards/carry).
Washington and Lawrence will run behind an offensive line that starts 3 sophomores (LT Elvis Fisher, LG Austin Wuebbels and RT Dan Hoch), 1 junior (C Tim Barnes) and 1 senior (RG kurtis Gregory). It is an offensive line that has allowed 14 sacks so far this season.
WR's Danario Alexander and Jared Perry have averaged 15.1 yards/catch on 114 catches for 1,725 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Alexander snagged 13 balls for 214 yards and a score against Baylor on Saturday. Perry snared seven balls for 145 yards against Baylor on Saturday.
Defensively, the Tigers return big time WLB Sean Weatherspoon. He is an all Big XII player who needed 133 tackles this season to break the team record for tackles in a season. DT Jaron Baston was the only returning starter on the DL with more than one year of playing experience. DE Aldon Smith was a player that the Tigers were excited about going into this season. DE Brian Coulter is a JUCO transfer who originally signed with Florida State. CB Carl Gettis is the only returning starter to a secondary that ranked 117 in passing defense last season.
