Texas Tech football: Pros of a Big-12-only schedule

Fewer games in the heat

As most of the nation is currently in the grips of a heatwave as I write this, wouldn’t it be nice to think about the possibility of not having to sit through any games at Jones Stadium when the temperature is 95-degrees or higher?  That could be the case this year with a 9-game schedule being as the season would not start until late September.

Sure, games in October have been uncomfortable at times but for the most part, by then the heat has subsided somewhat making the games more enjoyable those in attendance.  And having fewer games ruined by heat could also be a boost to Tech’s struggling home attendance.

Much has been made of the fact that during most games over the past two years, the east side of Jones Stadium has been empty for the second half of games.  Even last year’s introduction of alcohol sales couldn’t keep those fans in their seats when they were roasting like pigs on a spit in the aluminum bleachers.

When I had my seats on the east side of The Jones, I was on hand for the 2010 home opener against SMU when the heat and humidity were so high that the stadium ran out of bottled water and there were reports of hundreds of heat-related issues among fans seeking medical attention.  That day, my wife watched the last quarter of the game sitting on the concourse and watching the TV monitors and hundreds of others did the same.

Though we’ve since migrated to the west side where the press box shadow typically gives us some relief (with the exception of the 11 am kickoff), I still sympathize with the people on the east side of the stadium as some days, Mother Nature is just too brutal.

With only Big 12 games on the schedule, Tech’s home opener wouldn’t be until October 3rd against West Virginia.  Maybe by then, the heat will have broken and we won’t have to fight through heat strokes just to enjoy a college football game in person…if we have that option at all.