THE RED RAIDERS' SCHEDULE:
When looking at Texas Tech's schedule three games, maybe four, stand out.
The first is an away trip to A&M. I don't foresee them losing this game due to the new coaching staff at Aggie Land and their inexperience in facing this kind of offense. Plus given history, Texas Tech has won in 10 out of the last 13 seasons.
The second game is a trip to Lawrence to face the Jayhawks. This game will be very interesting. The week before Kansas has an away game at Oklahoma and after they play the Red Raiders they host in-sate rival Kansas State.
The Jayhawks will not be what they were a year ago due to their regular season schedule, and when they face the Red Raiders the loss of first-round cornerback Aqib Talib will definitely not help. Texas Tech should win this game.
A young and inexperienced Texas team comes calling in October. The fact that Tech plays second fiddle to the Longhorns in Texas will have the Red Raiders playing more like underdogs while in all likelihood they will be favored to win. Don't be surprised if this game turns into a blowout, closely similar to the Oklahoma game a year ago.
Texas has won big over Tech the last several years and the Raiders will be out for blood in Lubbock.
The final clutch game for the Red Raiders, and what will be one of the best games of 2008, is against Oklahoma in Norman. It's very possible that both teams could be 10-0 heading into this game.
Both teams will have two weeks of preparation leading up to this clash and time to heal whatever wounds incurred during the season. Remember, Texas Tech beat Oklahoma at home last season and the Sooners will have revenge on their minds when the Red Raiders come calling in November.
This will be a hard-hitting and uncharacteristically low scoring game next season, with potential conference title and national title implications on the line.
2008 PREDICTION:
The Red Raiders return 18 starters from last year's 22nd-ranked Gator Bowl championship team. Additionally, 36 of 44 players from last season's two-deep also return. Texas Tech has steadily expanded its program over the last two decades.
No other Big 12 team has been bowl eligible since the inception of the conference in 1996, and with 16 straight winning seasons this looks to be the year Texas Tech will emerge as a national power.
In order for Texas Tech to begin challenging for national championships it must only produce a decent defense. Not a great defense, but just a good solid defense able to produce several key stops over the course of a game.
The offense is already as good as you can get. You pair a decently good defense with the nation's best offense and you begin to have a scary situation. Texas Tech this season will have that defense. Thus, they will be good enough to challenge the Georgia's and Ohio State's, among others, to run the table this season.
Now do I predict them to be national champions? No, I think there are six, maybe seven teams capable of winning it all this season.
Now do I think they have as good a chance as anybody in the country? Yes.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Texas Tech Football articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
27 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete