Texas Tech Receives Intriguing Ranking in Preseason AP Top-25
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It's that time of year again. Preseason college football polls, college fanbases filled with hope and optimism, and projections of the top 25 best college football teams are all part of this time of year.
Nothing signals the return of the college football season quite like the preseason top-25 poll. With its official release, Texas Tech fans finally have a good grasp on where they enter the season, and how much work they’ll need to do to climb the rankings.
The Red Raiders come in at No. 12 in the first poll of the year, giving fans plenty of excitement as the season inches closer.
While some Tech fans may initially believe the Red Raiders should have been polled higher, this is the second highest preseason ranking in school history for Texas Tech with their highest ranking coming in 1977 at No. 8 overall.
What’s The Case for Texas Tech to Be Higher?
My initial reaction is that No. 12 seems fair, but there's also an argument to be made to slot the Red Raiders a couple spots higher. Texas Tech is returning 11 quality starters from a year ago, which includes several All Big-12 selections such as, defensive lineman A.J. Holmes Jr., cornerback Brice Pollock, tight end Terrance Carter Jr., and wide receiver Coy Eakin to name a few.
In addition to the returning talent, Texas Tech also added plenty of transfers that will make an impact this season for the Red Raiders. Linebacker Austin Romaine will join a linebacking trio of John Curry and Ben Roberts to give Texas Tech a very solid defense in the middle of the field.
Speaking of talented positional groups, running back Quinten Joyner will also return to action after missing the entire season a year ago following a torn ACL injury that ended his 2025 season before it began.
Now, he’ll join Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams in the backfield and form potentially the best running back trio in the country.
Following the Brendan Sorsby situation, Will Hammond will assume the role of QB1 and lead this Red Raiders team through the Big 12 in search of another conference championship. While Hammond showed flashes last year, he ultimately suffered a torn ACL that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
How Does The Rest of The Big 12 Stack Up?
The Red Raiders were one of four Big 12 teams to make the preseason top-25. BYU came in at 14, Utah at 21, and Houston at 23rd overall, further pushing the notion that Texas Tech is the favorite to win the conference for the second year in a row.
While No. 12 is certainly a great start for Texas Tech, they have the resources (the schedule) and the talent to climb the ranks in the poll, beginning with Abilene Christian on September 5th. They should be in the top ten by week three.
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Kade Nix is a sports writer covering Texas Tech on SI. He specializes in college basketball, college football, and the NFL. In 2021, he founded Kade’s Draft Room, a sports website that ran until 2025, and has an extensive background writing for multiple channels and sports websites. In addition to his writing experience, Kade has hands-on football scouting experience, including time as a Texas area scout for the Hula Bowl, giving him a unique perspective on player evaluation and the college sports landscape.