LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – “Texas Tech’s done a wonderful job. They’re in a great position.”
Gary Stokan has held the title of CEO and President of Peach Bowl, Inc. since 1998. He’s seen plenty of the same teams over the years, but says this Texas Tech football team is exciting to see grow in real time.
“Anytime that the new team that rises up and aspires and maybe hasn’t been to a certain plateau but reaches that, they are fantastic to have in a bowl game,” Stokan said.
Stokan believes a team first needs leadership to succeed, and Joey McGuire has brought all that and more to the program.
“I think Joey McGuire’s a breath of fresh air,” Stokan said, “I think he’s a wonderful coach. That’s the sign of a good coach is rally around a specific vision and cause and lead them in that cause.”
With the new college football playoff rankings out, #5 Texas Tech has three wins over ranked opponents, including two ranked in the top 12.
“Texas Tech, give them all the credit in the world,” Stokan said. They’ve beaten BYU and Utah, two really good teams in the top 12 teams in the latest CFP. That’s pretty stout.”
Stokan expects things to get interesting when the final rankings are announced December 7th. Depending on where they land, the Red Raiders could see some intriguing matchups.
“You want to be in either one through four (seeds) where you get a bye, or you want to be in that five through eight slot where you get a first round bowl game,” Stokan said. “If you are #5, you get the chance to play #12, which is more than likely going to be a Group of Five champion the way it looks, then you get the opportunity to play #4.”
Should Texas Tech make it to the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, it will be their first appearance in the game since 1974.
Stokan believes this isn’t a one-off, either. He says with how both sides of the football are playing, Texas Tech is a team built for the long-run and is looking forward to see how they perform should they make it to Georgia January 9th.
“We have a great history of southern hospitality in Atlanta and enjoy hosting people coming to our bowl game and into our city, so we welcome Texas Tech.”
Copyright 2025 KCBD. All rights reserved.