Is Texas Tech a Big 12 title contender?

Texas Tech is 3-0 and this weekend, a down but not out Oklahoma State rolls into Lubbock for a night game. The Cowboys lost this past week to a TCU team that is contending for the Big 12 championship game and the Red Raiders are coming off a dominant defensive win against Houston. This is the time to drink the Kool-Aid and ride high on Tech’s defense and have continued faith in our offense. If the Red Raider offense plays to the best of its capabilities as shown in the first two weeks of the season and the defense can withstand the high scoring Big 12, Texas Tech has a decent chance to compete for the Big 12 title.

Oklahoma State is the first true test of how Tech has progressed (or regressed) since last season. The Red Raider defense balled out last weekend against Houston and looks to continue its hot streak against a shaky Cowboy offensive line. Mason Rudolph and his corps of backs and receivers pose a massive threat. However, it is a blackout home game under the lights and as the saying goes, “Weird things can happen under the lights at the Jones.”

Two and a half weeks from now, Texas Tech will travel to Morgantown to face the currently ranked #23 West Virginia Mountaineers. Mountaineer Field is very similar to the Jones in the fact that the fans are rowdy and weird things can happen. Dana Holgorsen leads a very powerful offense that is ranked 8^th in passing yards per game and 23^rd in rushing yards. West Virginia travels to Fort Worth to play a fierce TCU which should give us a better idea on how the standings will look at the end of the season.

In October, possibly the most challenging game of Tech’s schedule is going to take place against the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman. Baker Mayfield led his team to a victory in Waco last week, preventing the upset. I have heard around Lubbock that people believe Oklahoma is weaker now than they were in week three. Oklahoma is stronger now that it was two weeks ago and let’s not forget that this is the same team that walked into Columbus and beat a very good Ohio State in one of college football’s largest and most storied venues. Texas Tech will absolutely have to play the best football possible to beat OU, but don’t underestimate the fight in this years team.

A week before Thanksgiving, the Red Raiders host TCU. If previous years’ games have shown anything can happen and everybody better buckle up for a wild one in Lubbock. This will be a very competitive game that will put both Texas Tech and TCU against the wall at some point in the match. Gary Patterson is leading a very stout Frogs defense while Kenny Hill is playing good football and Darius Anderson just ran for three touchdowns against Oklahoma State. These two will test how much the Red Raider defense has improved over last year.

This could be a great year for Texas Tech. Our defense is finally showing signs of competitiveness. Combine that with the always high powered offense and Texas Tech is my dark horse to go Jerryworld and face whomever else the Big 12 has to offer. I hope this doesn’t end like Jonestown.

Edited to correct location of TCU game.