Main Reasons Why Texas Tech Needs a Specific Outcome in Their Game Against Colorado

Playing on the road in conference play is rarely an easy task to win and do so comfortably. Texas Tech needs to not only go into this game looking to win, they need to do the following things.

Colorado Buffalos offensive lineman blocks against Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive tackle. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Texas Tech has three key things to prove in order to win at Colorado and build on their momentum for the rest of the 2026 season.

Getting the Red Raiders offense to resemble what it was last season with clean offensive operational flow and no turnovers or pre-snap penalties is a primary focus in this game against the Buffaloes. The Texas Tech offense was not excellent overall last season, but it has been less proficient and effective this season. Boulder’s high-altitude, rowdy road settings and being on the road can quickly create momentum swings that Texas Tech wants to avoid unless it is a positive one.

The Red Raiders offense needs to cut down on turnovers and avoid false start penalties in this game to fix up the mistakes they have made in earlier games. The Red Raiders quarterbacks have combined to throw six interceptions and only six touchdowns through the air. Not all on offense, but Texas Tech has been called 23 penalties for a total of 212 yards through four games this season. The Red Raiders need to avoid costly turnovers on offense and ensure they start each series of downs with first and ten.

Blown protection assignments by the offensive line and running backs, costly turnovers, and behind-the-chains penalties have stifled offensive flow, especially in games earlier this season against Oregon State and Houston. Offensive line discipline against Colorado’s front must be consistent throughout the whole game. The line must provide the quarterbacks time in the pocket, the quarterbacks must protect the ball on early downs, and keep third-down scenarios manageable. They need some time to make critical completions. Will Hammond and maybe even Thomas Castellanos, if he is called upon to play more, must play better overall to make this offense highly productive in this game.

The Red Raiders have three solid running backs on paper, and they need to get a strong running game established early in this game to build up effective play-action passes. J'Koby Williams has been playing the best overall, but Cameron Dickey has the most touchdowns on the season. This game is a perfect opportunity for Quinten Joyner to have a breakout performance, as he has not been as productive as expected this season. The road setting does not favor one-dimensional offense dictating the pace of the game. Running the ball will help settle down the home fans and dictate the rhythm of the game. The running backs should average four to five yards per carry in order for the Red Raiders to have a balance offense in this game.

The running backs need to gain positive yards, consistently achieve first downs on first contact to keep the offense on the field, and, most importantly, score in the red zone during this game. All those seem like obvious things to do, but the offense of the Red Raiders play-action will need to keep the Colorado secondary from cheating and create downfield opportunities on long-distance pass attempts. However, the defense needs to improve and perform at a higher level, like last season's defensive unit.

The front seven must generate more pass rush pressure with the front four leading the way and prevent explosive passing plays over the top. If you're going to win on the road in Big 12 play, your defense has to prove it can finish drives without resorting to reckless, all-out blitzing.

The defensive front must squeeze the pocket, forcing rushed throws into tight coverage, and the secondary must remain disciplined in zone/man leverage to avoid significant gains similar to what Northwestern did to Colorado earlier this season. A three- or more-touchdown victory over Colorado would prove Texas Tech has the poise and the physical identity to win back-to-back Big 12 titles, and it would also show college football fans, media personalities, and others that this Red Raiders team is a College Football Playoff team again this season by commanding the line of scrimmage, playing turnover-free football, and halting Colorado’s big-play ability.

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