Why Texas Tech Football Could Finally Close Strong In 2018

The development of young starters and a favorable schedule could allow the Texas Tech football team to finish the 2018 season on an up-tick, putting an end to a disturbing recent trend.

One of the most troubling characteristics of the Texas Tech football program under the guidance of Kliff Kingsbury has been the propensity to struggle in the second half of the season. Since Kingsbury’s first season in 2013, Tech has yet to post a winning record in the final six gams of any regular season, going 3-3 only once (2015).

In five seasons, Texas Tech is 20-11 in the first six games of the year but just 9-20 after the season passes the half-way point. Yet, there are reasons to believe that 2018 could play out differently.

First, the schedule this fall looks to be more manageable in the season’s final six contests. In a somewhat unusual manner, Tech has two losable non-conference games (Ole Miss and Houston) in the season’s first three weeks. But after a tough start to Big 12 play that sees Tech travel to Oklahoma State, host West Virginia and travel to TCU to close the first six games, Tech will only have two remaining road games, at Kansas State and Iowa State remaining.

Granted, Tech has lost two consecutive games to Iowa State and has not won at Kansas State since 2008. However, the Wildcats and Cyclones present two of the less intimidating road atmospheres in the league. Beating either team on the road is by no means easy, but fans should feel better about Tech pulling off road wins in Ames and Manhattan than doing so in Stillwater or Ft. Worth.

Conversely, the final six games of the season see Tech hosting three conference games giving the team an opportunity to get hot. Kansas comes to Lubbock in game seven while OU and Texas come to down in games nine and ten.

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Beating KU is as close to a given as there is in Big 12 play and Kingsbury is 5-0 against the Jayhawks. And while the Red Raiders have not beaten the Sooners at home since 2009 and Texas at home since 2008, having back-to-back home games against two of your most hated Big 12 brethren provides a great opportunity to rekindle some of that famous Jones Stadium magic.

Then, a neutral site game against a Baylor team that won only one game last season concludes the regular season. That is a game Tech absolutely must and should win.

Overall, the five FBS teams Tech faces in the first half of the season have a combined winning percentage of 65% since 2013. Meanwhile, the final six programs on the schedule have won just over 50% of their games during that same span.

Another factor that could contribute to a strong second half of the season is the growth of young players. Regardless of whether Texas Tech starts Jett Duffey or McLane Carter at QB, the early portion of the season is likely to be a baptism by fire for the next Red Raider quarterback.

Likewise, Tech will be starting three new players at receiver making it reasonable to expect the offense to jell as the season progresses. Most expect the Texas Tech defense to be the backbone of the team so if the offense can bring itself to the defense’s level once it has a few games under its belt, the team could hit its stride down the stretch.

The key for the season will be to weather the tough six-game stretch that kicks off 2018. If Texas Tech struggles out of the gate, it will be critical for the fans and the players to keep from losing heart.

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But if the Texas Tech football team can find a way to scratch out three or four wins to open the year, the pieces may be in place for Kingsbury to finally have a team that ends the season with a surge. That would do wonders for the psyche of the fan base, the direction of the program and for the security Kingsbury’s job.

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