Texas Tech Releases 2021 Football Schedule: First Reactions

Texas Tech recently released the upcoming 2021 football schedule and one item that stands out quickly is the Red Raiders will not exactly be racking up frequent flier miles this season. Tech only leaves the state 3 times to play Kansas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia (which fans will still wonder how this geographically displaced Big 12 team still found a way into the conference).

When the Red Raiders open the season at a “neutral” site game, it will be against a coach who is very familiar with Big 12 play. The Houston Cougars are lead by former Texas Tech assistant coach and West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen. After a visit from the Lumberjacks, Tech Tech then hosts a very unfamiliar non-conference opponent when the Panthers of FIU come to town. Tech has only played FIU one time in program history (a 56-3 thumping back on 2005). A 3-0 start is absolutely obtainable before Big 12 play begins.

Late Bye Week

Texas Tech opens Big 12 play in Austin to take on the Longhorns. The Red Raiders, who in recent years have had a much earlier bye week, do not have their bye week until the first weekend of November. The bye week will provide a break in which Texas Tech will play the teams that finished 1, 2, and 3 in the Big 12 from the 2020 season.

Redemption trip to close out the season

Texas Tech closes out its season returning to Waco to take on Baylor. When the Red Raiders last played in Waco, it came in 2019 when Baylor was ranked 7th in the country at the time. Tech was able to take the lead late in the game with only 1:37 left 20-17. Baylor was able to respond, getting to the Texas Tech 5 yard line with 10 seconds left. The defense was able to stand up and force a field goal attempt, that tied the game at 20 as time expired. It’s what happened in the first overtime that has left a very salty taste in the fans of the Red Raiders. Baylor started with the ball in overtime and on only their 2nd play, the center performed a full snap of the ball and the entire offense ran off the line. Texas Tech recovered the apparent fumble, but the referee’s blew the play dead and called a fall start on the center. You be the judge:

Texas Tech would eventually go on to lose to the Big 12 runner-up and Sugar Bowl participant 33-30.

2021 initial record prediction

Texas Tech has a new play caller going into the 2021 season, and with Alan Bowman transferring from the team, the quarterback position is wide open. After spring football wraps up with the spring game on April 10th, we will have a better idea of what to expect out of this team. Based on this record, Tech is going to need to get out to a good start if it wants to get back to a bowl game for the first time since 2017. My initial reaction to this schedule projects a 5-7 record for the Red Raiders. What do you think? Let Guns Up Nation know in the comments!