LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – “No matter what, when it’s the end of the season it’s always tough, but it’s tough when you don’t play well enough and make too many mistakes.”
Joey McGuire expressed frustration following Texas Tech’s loss to Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl last season. His third season as head coach of the Red Raiders ended with similar results to the previous two, an 8-5 record and a bowl appearance. With a 23-16 record under his belt, McGuire knew things needed to change.
Overhauling the defense became a top priority. Seven current starters for Texas Tech, including David Bailey and Lee Hunter, came in as 2025 transfers. Following a busy offseason, students had some high expectations for this team.
“I definitely think if we play to our full potential, we could be a playoff team,” student Ethan Carroll said ahead of the season opener. “I think we’ll definitely be in the Big 12 championship.”
The 23rd ranked team in the country coming into the season started the year with three routs of non-conference opponents, with the offense averaging 58 points a game.
The first conference game of the season came against then-ranked #16 Utah, a game the Red Raiders were very much looking forward to.
“I think it’s going to be an awesome matchup for our team,” quarterback Behren Morton said ahead of the game. “I think this is a big test, the measuring stick of the Big 12. Two teams that have played well early, meeting up for a top 25 matchup.”
Tech would go on to win in impressive fashion, led by four takeaways from the defense and redshirt quarterback Will Hammond throwing two touchdowns after replacing an injured Morton.
Two blowout wins against Houston and Kansas followed, leading to a matchup against last year’s Big 12 champion, Arizona State. Following a 26-22 loss that came down to the final play, the Red Raiders knew the job wasn’t finished.
“We want to get back to work,” linebacker John Curry said following the game. We want to get that taste out of our mouth and we just want to get back to work and focus on our next opponent. We never want to have that feeling again.”
A 42-0 victory over Oklahoma State certainly provided a bounce back for the team, along with a 43-20 victory over Kansas State.
That set up a massive game against BYU. Two teams ranked in the top 10 of the college football playoff rankings at the time, it got the attention of ESPN College GameDay, who made their first trip to Lubbock in almost two decades.
The hype certainly lived up to expectations for Texas Tech, who defeated BYU 29-7. Tech’s defense led the way with three turnovers, including Jacob Rodriguez adding to his impressive resume with an interception.
After a 48-9 victory over UCF, Texas Tech now just needs a victory against West Virginia to play in the Big 12 championship game.
“This is literally everything we’ve worked for at this point,” Morton said as the team gets ready for WVU. “We know how important this game is.”
Just one win away from history, and one more step towards a potential playoff run come December.
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