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Athlon Sports preseason bowl projection has Texas Tech facing former TTU assistant

ByEthan Lee|
Aug 31, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; A general view of Texas Tech Red Raiders helmets on the bench in the second half during the game against the Abilene Christian Wildcats at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
Aug 31, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; A general view of Texas Tech Red Raiders helmets on the bench in the second half during the game against the Abilene Christian Wildcats at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Joey McGuire and the Texas Tech Red Raiders will be under some pretty interesting expectations for this year. Given the way that McGuire and his staff have been recruiting, it seems like an absolute certainty that some will believe the Red Raiders should go out and win the Big 12 this season.

And there’s definitely an argument to be made that Texas Tech should be capable of that this year. But if you ask the good folks over at Athlon Sports, that’s not where they believe Texas Tech will be at the end of the season.

Instead of winning the Big 12 and representing the conference in the College Football Playoff, they’ve got Texas Tech heading to the Alamo Bowl to meet up with a familiar face: Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans.

Riley is, of course, a former Texas Tech assistant coach (and quarterback). A former assistant for Mike Leach’s teams and a member of some of the earliest rosters coached by Leach in Lubbock. Riley is certainly familiar with West Texas and Lubbock.

Athlon Sports preseason college football bowl projections places Texas Tech in Alamo Bowl against Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans

I suppose there is a chance that Riley wouldn’t be the head coach of the Trojans at this point in the season. I mean, the man is almost certainly under a bit of pressure to win right now given the way the past couple years have gone for USC football. It’s definitely fair to say that USC has a lofty expectation of success that many programs just flat out don’t have.

And without totally knowing the sort of circumstances that would place USC in the Alamo Bowl versus being one of the Big Ten teams to make it into the College Football Playoff, it’s hard to actually project if Riley would still be the head coach of the Trojans at this point in the season.

I can’t imagine that USC fans would be thrilled to miss out on the playoffs yet again. But maybe improvement over recent years would be enough to keep fans engaged and interested and buy Riley a bit more time given his reported absolutely absurd buyout situation with the Trojans?

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