AUSTIN (AP) – Texas coach Mack Brown doesn’t want to hear about Texas Tech’s soft early season schedule and how the Red Raiders’ score-a-minute offense piles up points against inferior teams.

He says the Red Raiders are more dangerous than ever and could derail the Longhorns’ goals of winning Big 12 and national championships.

“What they are doing in college football is unheard of, offensively,” Brown said. “It’s amazing.”

Tenth-ranked Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0) meets the No. 2 Longhorns (6-0, 3-0) Saturday in a game with huge implications for the conference and the Bowl Championship Series.

If Texas wins, the Longhorns tighten their grip on the Big 12 South division and their No. 2 position in the BCS. A Red Raiders victory upsets not only the conference race, but also thrusts Tech into the national title chase.

“Someone’s going home with a loss,” Longhorns defensive end Brian Robison said. “And I don’t plan on it being us.”

Led by fifth-year senior and first-year starting quarterback Cody Hodges, the Red Raiders lead the nation in points (53.7) and passing yards (472) per game with the Wild West shootout-style offense coach Mike Leach brought to the high plains five years ago.

Some of those gaudy numbers have been cranked up in wins over Florida International (56-3) and Division I-AA teams Sam Houston State (80-21) and Indiana State (63-7). But Brown notes the Red Raiders also beat Kansas, Nebraska and Kansas State, with Hodges passing for 643 yards in last week’s 59-20 romp over the Wildcats.

“They beat Nebraska in Lincoln, and we all know that’s tough to do,” Brown said. “They totally dominated Kansas State. … Too much has been talked about the first three games instead of the last three.”

This week’s game has Lubbock abuzz about what a win could do for a team usually considered a Big 12 spoiler rather than title contender.

Tech is ranked in the top 10 for the first time since 1977, an era when Texas still ran the wishbone with Earl Campbell and Bill Parcells was the Red Raiders’ defensive coordinator.

Tech will be the first top-10 team to come to Austin since 1999, when the Longhorns beat No. 3 Nebraska.

“My big thing is to relax and just enjoy it,” Hodges said. “Ten to 20 years from now I’ll look back and think that was such a great game, but if I’m too worried about other stuff my head’s going to filled with stuff it shouldn’t be.”

As dangerous as Tech can be, the Longhorns must fight an urge to take for granted a team they beat 51-21 last season.

“We are a better focused team than we were last year,” Leach said.

The Longhorns have beaten five ranked teams during their 13-game winning streak. And like Tech, they’ve been putting up some pretty big numbers.

Vince Young, one of the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy, had a career day last week. He passed for 336 yards and two touchdowns and ran for three more scores in a win over Colorado.

Against Tech last year, Young ran for four TDs as the Longhorns stifled the Red Raiders’ offense by keeping it off the field. Texas held the ball nearly 20 minutes longer than Tech in that game.

While Young used to be thought of as a running quarterback, his passing has done most of the damage in the Longhorns’ biggest wins this season. He’s already matched last season’s total of 12 touchdown passes while running for five more.

“I believe our offense can put up points just like Tech,” Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed said.

Texas will not start leading rusher Jamaal Charles for the second straight week, although he is available, Brown said. Junior Selvin Young will start at tailback.

AP-ES-10-21-05 1635EDT

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