Wreck'Em Red
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Texas Tech football: Could UT game follow a familiar winning script this year?

By Matthew Conner

Nov 26, 2015; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders running back DeAndre Washington (21) carries the ball against Texas Longhorns safety Jason Hall (31) during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas Tech beat Texas 48-45. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2015; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders running back DeAndre Washington (21) carries the ball against Texas Longhorns safety Jason Hall (31) during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas Tech beat Texas 48-45. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 24, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian watches his team from the sideline during a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman via USA TODAY NETWORK
Sep 24, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian watches his team from the sideline during a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman via USA TODAY NETWORK /

There are some major differences between this year and the 2015 Texas Tech win in Austin

For all the similarities between the 2015 matchup and this year’s game in Austin (both were night games by the way), there are some notable differences as well.  Most importantly, this year’s Texas team is lightyears better than the 2015 team.

After losing to Tech at home that year, Texas dropped to 4-7 overall and 3-5 in Big 12 play.  Just one year later, the Horns fired head coach Charlie Strong after he went 16-21 in three seasons in Austin.

Now, Steve Sarkisian has the Horns on the rise.  They enter this game at 10-1 overall and ranked 7th nationally.

Should Texas win, they will play in the Big 12 Championship game and if they win that, they could find their way into the College Football Playoff with some help.  It’s just not the same type of UT squad that Tech was able to topple eight years ago.

Of course, Tech isn’t the same either.  Most important is the difference in the defense that the Red Raiders will deploy.

In 2015, Tech had the second-worst defense in the nation statistically.  Giving up 547.7 yards per game, the Red Raiders ranked ahead of only Kansas in total defense.

This year, the Red Raider defense has been a strength.  Ranked 73rd nationally, Tech is giving up 382 yards per game and has not allowed 30 points to an opponent in the last four contests.

That side of the ball will be tested on Friday, though.  Texas is putting up 454.2 yards per game (4th-most in the Big 12) and the Horns have a wealth of talent at the skill positions.

However, last week, Tech held the Big 12’s top offense, UCF, to just 23 points despite giving up 483 yards of offense.  It was the red zone where Tech made stands by keeping Central Florida out of the endzone from inside the five at the end of the first half and forcing a FG try in the second half when the Knights reached the 15 (a FG that was missed).

Perhaps that will be the recipe again this week.  Texas has NFL talent all over the offensive side of the ball but if the Red Raiders can stiffen near the goal line and force the Horns to settle for three points more than they are able to get seven, Tech could upset Texas in Austin again.  If that happens, it will be one of the biggest wins in program history for a number of reasons.

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