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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 26, 2015; Lubbock, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders former head coach Spike Dykes on the field during the game with the Texas Christian Horned Frogs at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2015; Lubbock, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders former head coach Spike Dykes on the field during the game with the Texas Christian Horned Frogs at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

1997: Texas Tech lost to North Texas in week three but beat Texas and A&M

Some fans aren’t old enough to remember the days when beating Texas and A&M was really enough for a season to be considered a success in West Texas.  But given the struggles of the Texas Tech football program during the 1980s and 1990s, that was a popular mentality among the scarlet and black faithful.

In 1997, the second year of the Big 12’s existence, Tech was hoping for more than that, though, after going 7-5 and playing in the Alamo Bowl the season before.  However, a stunning 30-27 loss to North Texas (one of the largest upsets in college football history in terms of point spread) would put a damper on expectations for the season.

Only in their third year as a Division-I program, the Eagles had won only six combined games in the previous two seasons.  However, they waltzed out of Lubbock with a program-defining win that many people in Denton still talk about.

That Red Raider team could have folded.  However, wins over Baylor and Kansas in the next two games would help right the ship.

What’s more, in game seven, Tech would take down No. 20 Texas A&M 16-13 in Lubbock.  Then, two games later, Dykes would lead his team to a 24-10 victory in Austin.

That season, Tech again finished 6-5 and 5-3 in Big 12 play to finish tied for second place in the Big 12 South.  That wasn’t too shabby given that the schedule saw Tech open at No. 5 Tennessee (which was quarterbacked by Peyton Manning) while also facing No. 2 Nebraska in Lincoln, and No. 13 Kanas State in Lubbock.

Again, Tech did not reach a bowl game but given the panic that the fan base experienced after falling to the Mean Green, 1997 was not a total disaster.  And because the Red Raiders managed to beat the Horns and Aggies in the same season, many folks on the South Plans had plenty to celebrate.

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