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Five Swing Games For Texas Tech In 2018

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 4: Tre King #24 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders finds running room and will score a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Kansas State Wildcats on November 4, 2017 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 4: Tre King #24 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders finds running room and will score a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Kansas State Wildcats on November 4, 2017 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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STARKVILLE, MS – NOVEMBER 23: Mississippi Rebels players celebrate by hoisting the Egg Bowl trophy after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs 31-28 in an NCAA football game at Davis Wade Stadium on November 23, 2017 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MS – NOVEMBER 23: Mississippi Rebels players celebrate by hoisting the Egg Bowl trophy after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs 31-28 in an NCAA football game at Davis Wade Stadium on November 23, 2017 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /

Week 1 – Ole Miss (in Houston)

While many college football teams have started to schedule big-time non-conference opponents to open their seasons, Texas Tech has continually opted to start off the schedule with lesser teams. Tech has opened with four-consecutive FCS teams and has not begun a season against a current “Power 5” school since 2002 when the Red Raiders opened at No. 12 Ohio State (which would go on to win the national title that season).

But this year, Texas Tech is opening with a stiff test from SEC foe Ole Miss.  The Rebels, like Texas Tech, enter the season with plenty of uncertainty.

After being hit with serious sanctions and playing last year under interim head coach Matt Luke (who is now the permanent head coach), the Rebels are looking to regain their footing on the heels of a 6-6 season.  But even with those sanctions looming over the program, there is still a ton of top-end talent on the Ole Miss roster.

Offensive tackle Greg Little and receiver A.J. Brown are likely first round draft picks next year and senior quarterback Jordan Ta’Amu is being hyped as one of the best QBs in the SEC.  Needless to say, this is not your typical opener for Texas Tech.

This is a game that is almost impossible to predict for a number of reasons, most notably, the unknown surrounding the Texas Tech quarterback situation.  Winning this game could be crucial to the 2018 season because for Tech to prevail, it will likely mean that Kliff Kingsbury received solid quarterback play from one of his three inexperienced QBs.

If that is the case, Tech could be set up for a nice 3-0 start in non-conference play putting the team half-way to bowl eligibility (which, as we learned last season, is likely enough to spare Kingsbury’s job).  Beating Ole Miss would also do wonders for a fan base that has grown cynical and impatient during the Kingsbury tenure and would ensure near capacity crowds for the first two home games of the year in weeks two and three.

A loss would mean that the Red Raiders are likely still trying to find answers to the number of questions surrounding the team this summer.  A worst-case scenario would be one in which none of the three QB candidates play well enough to differentiate themselves from the completion making the week-two game against Lamar an in-season QB competition rather than an opportunity for one QB to refine his game before a tough Houston team comes to Lubbock.

This could be the most important season opener in the “Air Raid Era” with everything on the line in 2018.  Given the daunting first portion of the schedule which includes road trips to Oklahoma State and TCU sandwiched around a home tilt against WVU to open Big 12 play, beating Ole Miss is critical if Tech is to surpass expectations this year.

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