Texas Tech Football: Five reasons for optimism in 2018

The 2018 schedule could break right

In the Big 12, where every year is a round-robin style of play, the schedule is often less of a factor than it is in conferences like the Pac-12 or the SEC where teams in the same division do not play the exact same league schedule.

But still, this year’s Texas Tech football schedule is far more favorable that those in recent years.

For starters, Tech actually has an off week during Big 12 play.  Last year, Tech’s only open week came in the second week of the season meaning the team had to finish the year with eleven-consecutive games.

This year, Tech will have a week off after opening Big 12 play at Oklahoma State in the fourth game of the season.  Tech will be idle on October 6 before heading to TCU for a Thursday night game on October 11.

Another positive to the schedule is that Tech faces Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, three teams expected to be at the top of the Big 12 standings this year, at home.  While road games at Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State are going to be challenging, those stadiums and locals are not as daunting as playing in Norman, Austin or Morgantown when the Sooners, Longhorns and Mountaineers are good as they are expected to be this year.

Also making this a favorable schedule is the fact that Tech plays only one true road game in November, which is the trip to Kansas State.  Tech finishes the year with back-to-back home games against OU and Texas before traveling to Manhattan, KS and then Arlington, TX for a neutral site game against Baylor.

Taking it a step further, Tech only has two true road games in its final six games meaning that if the Red Raiders can weather a tough stretch to open Big 12 play with road games at OSU and TCU, Tech could be in for a nice run to close the year.