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Texas Tech football: Disappointing losses haven’t always spelled doom for Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

Texas Tech quarterback Sonny Cumbie celebrates 45-31 victory over Cal in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004. Cumbie was 39 of 60 for a career-high 520 yards and three touchdowns to lead the No. 23 Red Raiders to an upset of No. 4 Cal. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
Texas Tech quarterback Sonny Cumbie celebrates 45-31 victory over Cal in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004. Cumbie was 39 of 60 for a career-high 520 yards and three touchdowns to lead the No. 23 Red Raiders to an upset of No. 4 Cal. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images) /
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Sep 2, 2023; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Tyler Shough (12) throws for a touchdown in double overtime against the Wyoming Cowboys at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 2, 2023; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Tyler Shough (12) throws for a touchdown in double overtime against the Wyoming Cowboys at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports /

One of the reasons so many Texas Tech football fans are discouraged by week one’s 35-33 loss at Wyoming is that this program hasn’t suffered many losses of that ilk.  In fact, it had been 14 years since we had to experience a loss to a team from outside of a Power 5 conference.

That’s a reality that has smacked us all in the face in 2023, though, and many are wondering if the shocking defeat in Laramie is a sign that this year won’t live up to the massive off-season expectations that preceded it.

Well, if you were one of those dreaming of Tech being a surprise College Football Playoff invitee, then your dream is now dead.  But for those who had more reasonable hopes, everything is still on the table for the Red Raiders.

As proof, we can look at some recent Big 12 teams that overcame an unexpected early-season loss to go on to have strong seasons.

For instance, just last fall, Kansas State fell to Tulane at home in week three.  Now, that Tulane team did go on to have a fantastic season of its own, which included a Cotton Bowl win over USC.

However, at the time the Green Wave beat KSU 17-10 in Manhattan, Kansas, no one expected the Wildcats to be able to rebound the way they did.  Of course, the Wildcats would end the year 10-4 overall and would win the Big 12 Championship, something that Texas Tech can still aspire to do in 2023.

The Big 12’s other agriculture-obsessed school, Iowa State, had a similar journey in 2020.  Losing the season opener at home to Louisiana, 31-14, the Cyclones would respond by going 9-3 overall and 8-1 in Big 12 play.  They would play for the conference title and beat Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl to finish with a top-10 ranking.

The point is that a disappointing clunker of a performance early in the season doesn’t mean the rest of the games on the schedule should be forfeited and that the fan base should emotionally check out and turn its focus to basketball season before the calendar even reaches October.

Rather, Texas Tech still has an opportunity to take a step forward in the Joey McGuire rebuild by rebounding and putting the Wyoming game in the past.  So let’s look at some instances when other Red Raider teams have overcome early-season disappointments to have successful campaigns.

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