Texas Tech football: What we can learn from previous upsets of Longhorns

A shootout is Tech’s best hope

Even during an era when defense has been hard to come by for Tech, there have been times when the Red Raiders have won important low-scoring games.  But that hasn’t typically been the case in victories over Texas.

In fact, the fewest points the Red Raiders have put up in any of the four wins in the last 20 years of this series were the 27 they scored in 2017’s 27-23 win in Austin.  In the other three games, Tech has scored 42, 39, and 48 respectively.

That makes sense given how most Red Raider teams are put together.  Beginning with the Leach era and continuing through the present day, offense has been what Tech has hung its hat on, and when the offense hasn’t been at its best, wins over UT have been nearly impossible to come by.

In fact, since the 2008 win, Tech has averaged just 22.6 points per game in its nine losses in this series.  What’s more, in seven of those games, the Red Raiders have not managed to surpass 25 points.

It will be a challenge to light up the scoreboard against the Horns this year given that they have nine returning starters.  And switching to a 4-3 scheme this year, they will look to get pressure with their front four allowing them to drop more defenders in coverage.

Still, Tech has to find a way to put plenty of points on the board this Saturday because Texas almost certainly will.  As history suggests, a wild shootout is the best way for the Red Raiders to have a shot at beating the No. 9 Longhorns this week.