Texas Tech football: Ranking the 2023 road games by difficulty
No. 1: @ Texas
No one hates to give the Longhorns their due more than me. But if I’m going to be honest, I have to admit that they look to have a stacked roster this year. That’s why the regular-season finale in Austin will be the Texas Tech football team’s toughest road test in 2023.
First of all, playing in Austin usually doesn’t go well for the Red Raiders. The program has only secured two wins at Royal-Memorial Stadium since 1997.
Also, this game will be the final Big 12 game ever played in Austin. That should draw a large crowd from a fan base that typically doesn’t show well on Thanksgiving weekend. Of course, playing an in-state program for that final Big 12 game will also help bolster fan interest on the 40 Acres.
There’s also the possibility that this game will have massive conference implications. It isn’t hard to envision a scenario where one or both of these teams could be trying to secure a place in the league title game with a win in the regular-season finale. After all, Texas was voted tops in the preseason conference poll and Tech was voted 4th.
However, many fans around the conference are justifiably skeptical about both programs’ ability to live up to the preseason hype. While Tech has not been a title contender since 2008, the Horns are annually the Big 12’s biggest underachievers.
UT will enter this game after back-to-back road games against TCU and Iowa State. What’s more, before that, they will host K-State. That trio of games could derail the Horns’ season if they can’t beat the two purple teams. Such a scenario might play well for Tech, especially given that the Horns have a tendency to fold up shop when adversity hits.
Regardless, the season’s final road trip will be its toughest. But how sweet would it be if Tech were to be able to send UT out of the Big 12 will its tail between its legs?