No. 3: @ Baylor
Before Kansas was the team everyone in the Big 12 laughed at, that dubious distinction went to Baylor. That’s why Tech is 7-3 in Waco since the conference was formed.
That has changed in recent years though since Baylor has become a formidable foe in the last decade. In fact, Tech has dropped its last two contests on the road against the Bears.
This year’s trip to McLane Stadium on October 7 will be a toss-up. Of course, if the Red Raiders hope to win a Big 12 title, that’s a fish that they had better get into the boat.
Last year, the Bears were arguably the biggest disappointment in the conference. Picked first in the preseason poll, they would wind up just 6-7 overall and 4-5 in the league.
Now, the Bears enter the season with a new defensive coordinator after giving up nearly 27 points a game last year. They also have no definitive answer at QB with incumbent Blake Shapen in a camp battle with Mississippi State transfer and Lubbock native Sawyer Robertson, a redshirt sophomore who saw limited playing time in 2022.
What could tilt this game in Tech’s favor this year is the schedule. Tech will arrive in Waco after games against the two teams picked to finish at the bottom of the standings in the conference, West Virginia and Houston.
Meanwhile, Baylor will face preseason conference favorite Texas and a tough UCF team in the two weeks before hosting the Red Raiders. That could be a boost to the Red Raiders.
On the other hand, Tech has yet to prevail at McLane Stadium. It’s proven to be a tough place to play overall, though the Bears were just 3-3 there in 2022.
Of course, Tech was robbed of a win in Waco in 2019 by a blown call by the Big 12 officials in overtime. The Red Raiders must figure out a way to keep the incompetence of the referees from robbing them again this year and leave nothing to chance in Waco. That will be imperative if a special season is going to be in the cards.