The Texas Tech football team learned Monday when its September 22 Big 12 opener at Oklahoma State will kickoff and the news was less than optimal for the Red Raiders.
Monday, the Big 12 announced that the conference opener for the Texas Tech football team at Oklahoma Statewill be even more challenging than it already looked to be. That’s because the game is set for a 6 p.m. kickoff, meaning the home crowd at Boone Pickens Stadium will have all day to get amped up.
The 60,000-seat stadium is one of the more challenging road environments in the Big 12 due in large part to the fact that the visitors’ sideline is unusually close to the student section. And now, the OSU faithful will be in full throat as the Red Raiders try to end one of the most frustrating streaks in program history.
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The Red Raiders have not beat Oklahoma State since 2008 when Michael Crabtree and Graham Harrell led the Red Raiders to a blowout win as No. 2 Texas Tech beat No. 9 OSU 56-20 in Lubbock. Since then, the Cowboys have dominated the series including wins in the last four games played in Stillwater.
In fact, Texas Tech has not won in Stillwater since 2001 when Kliff Kingsbury was a junior. And during the Red Raiders’ current 7-game losing streak at OSU, the Cowboys have found a way to come out on top in some close games.
Five of those seven wins were by seven points or fewer with three of those wins (2016, 2007, 2003) coming by a combined seven points. And it was the 2016 game that was the most heartbreaking.
A missed extra point by Clayton Hatfield with 1:44 to play kept the unranked Texas Tech team from potentially pulling off an upset of No. 13 OSU in a 45-44 loss. It was the only extra point miss of the season by Hatifled making many Texas Tech fans believe that a Stillwater curse has been placed on the program.
The Red Raiders will have another shot to end their woes against Oklahoma State to open Big 12 play in less than two weeks. However, those chances took a hit thanks to the 6 pm kickoff which is a huge boost from the home team.