Texas Tech football: Takeaways from the 2021 football schedule

LUBBOCK, TEXAS – DECEMBER 05: Defensive lineman Tyree Wilson #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders lines up for a play during the first half of the college football game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Jones AT&T Stadium on December 05, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

Only one bye week

Coming off a season when Tech had three bye weeks in a ten-game schedule, we will see the Red Raiders have only one bye week in 2021. However, the timing of the bye could be beneficial.

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In between the October 30 game at OU and the November 13 game vs. Iowa State in Lubbock, the Red Raiders will have an open date. That could help Tech have a fighting chance when facing the Cyclones and their difficult-to-solve cloud defensive scheme.

It will also help allow for players to heal from the natural bumps and bruises that occur over the course of the year. And it might come at the right time to give Tech a fighting shot at closing the season as strong as possible.

At this point, it isn’t hard to envision Tech being anywhere from 3-6 to 5-4 thus making the final three games of the year crucial. Therefore, having an extra week to prepare for that closing stretch might be invaluable.

But the skeptics will have to point out that Tech has not been great when coming off a bye week under Wells’ guidance. In fact, last year, the Red Raiders were just 1-2 in such games.

Still, it seems like this bye week being later in the year is a nice benefit and it gives Tech a chance to regroup and try to end the season on a bit of an uptick. But again, the question remains, by the time it arrives, will it be too late to salvage the 2021 season?