Texas Tech Football continues to bolster its non-conference schedule, as it was announced today the Red Raiders will open the 2018 season against Ole Miss.
Texas Tech Football announced a major non-conference scheduling move for the 2018 season, and will face the Ole Miss Rebels in the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff at NRG Stadium in Houston.
The actual dates for the game haven’t been released yet, but both Tech and Ole Miss fans are viewing this game with rivalry implications.
Both teams have faced each other a total of five times in the past. Texas Tech has fared best in regular season, having swept Ole Miss in a home-and-home series back in 2002-03. The Rebels have come out on top in three of the contests, having sealed victories against Tech in the 1986 Independence Bowl, the 1998 Independence Bowl, and the 2009 Cotton Bowl.
“We’re excited to return to Houston and take part in the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff,” Texas Tech Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said in Tech’s press release. “The support of Red Raider Nation helped set a new Texas Bowl attendance record in our last trip to Houston, so we look forward to NRG Stadium being filled with scarlet and black once again to kick off the 2018 season.”
.@TexasTechFB AD @kirbyhocutt on Tech playing @OleMissFB in 2018 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff: "Houston is such an important market to Texas Tech" pic.twitter.com/L0PM35EtqO
— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) June 23, 2017
Texas Tech’s last visit to Houston’s NRG Stadium resulted in a 56-27 loss for the Red Raiders against LSU, and one of the nation’s leading rushers, Leonard Fournette. The Red Raiders will head down to Houston this season on Saturday, September 23 to take on the Houston Cougars AT TDECU Stadium.
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Kirby Hocutt was quick to point out the importance Houston to the Texas Tech community, not just in terms of alumni outreach, but for recruiting purposes. With the Big 12 denying expansion to Houston, it only elevates the necessity for Power 5 schools to perform well in front of area prospects–particularly Texas Tech, which isn’t the easiest school to get to.
This game will mark Texas Tech’s second regular season game on a neutral site for 2018, if The Shootout between Tech and Baylor stays at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX next season.
With Texas Tech continuing to schedule tough non-conference opponents, it once again shows that head coach Kliff Kingsbury is fully committed to challenging his staff and players. And with a wide open quarterback battle brewing for 2018, if the current personnel can battle through 2017, next season is already shaping up to be gritty, yet exciting year.
The 2017 season is just 75 days away, and before we know it, the Red Raiders will be in Fall Camp. Don’t forget to get your hands on tickets before they sell out.