Even On A Bye Week, Texas Tech Still Won In The Big 12
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For the Texas Tech Red Raiders, they received a much-needed bye week to rest and heal before continuing for the rest of the season. As their expectations continue to rise, so does the hype level, and for Joey McGuire's squad, even on a bye week, they were the biggest winners from the weekend in the Big 12.
The defense's performance, in their dominant 34-10 win over the Utah Utes, placed them on the map, if they weren't already before. Now, though, after the results from the rest of the conference, the Red Raiders won the weekend, without even having to play a game.
The Utes destroyed West Virginia, properly, with an offense led by Devon Dampier that looked like one of the most efficient in the country. The same offense that was sucked of life when they played the Red Raiders, and now, the country saw just how good they are through proxy.
Winning Without Playing
When Dampier played against the Red Raiders, there was speculation that he had suffered an ankle injury, despite not being on the availability report, and yet he played the entire game for the Utes. After his fast healing, though, he was ready for the Mountaineers, where he finished 21-for-26 with 237 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception.
Finishing with a passing rating of 200.4, the performance was a far cry from what he did against Shiel Wood's defense. That day, he completed 25-38 with 162 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 91.1. The defense shook him to his core, and the secondary had three pass breakups, compared to the zero the Mountaineers had against them.
Rather than discussing the Utes' bounce-back performance and finding their rhythm on offense, the talk around the Big 12, and even the country, was centered on "how good is Texas Tech?". That's what has been built in Lubbock now: a program where, when another team wins, it's not about how the Red Raiders managed to win, but more about how dominant the transitive property win makes them seem.
Now, as they prepare to travel to Houston, that same thought process goes with them, after the Cougars needed overtime to mount a comeback and defeat Oregon State in overtime. The same team that the Red Raiders beat handily 45-14, their opponent this week needed a near miracle to walk away with a win.
It's time for the country to stop asking IF the Red Raiders can be good, but rather, how good ARE they?
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JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.