As a program, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are known for their offense. It’s something that has become synonymous with the branding around the program. Texas Tech is going to score a bunch of points and they’re going to score a bunch of points in a hurry. It’s what they’ve done throughout their modern history thanks to the Air Raid and Mike Leach.
What Texas Tech isn’t known for is having a quality defense. It’s not that all of Leach’s defenses were bad or awful, but they just weren’t good or great. And things got worse after Texas Tech split from Leach. Things got much worse.
So it’s weird to see that the Texas Tech Red Raiders have one of the best defenses in the country. But that’s the case.
Where do the Texas Tech Red Raiders rank in total defense as they get set for the Orange Bowl vs the Oregon Ducks?
Here’s where the Red Raiders rank nationally in terms of total defense ahead of the Orange Bowl against the Ducks:
- Ohio State Buckeyes - 213.5 yards per game
- Toledo Rockets - 254.3 yards per game
- Texas Tech Red Raiders - 254.4 yards per game
- Indiana Hoosiers - 257.2 yards per game
- James Madison Dukes - 266.6 yards per game
- Iowa Hawkeyes - 270.6 yards per game
- Oregon Ducks - 271.4 yards per game
- Oklahoma Sooners - 272.5 yards per game
- Missouri Tigers - 277.3 yards per game
- Miami Hurricanes - 281.5 yards per game
That’s a really good spot for the Red Raiders to be in as Texas Tech gets set to face off against the Ducks in the Orange Bowl. Truly, a great spot for Texas Tech’s defense. I don’t know that enough can be said about the work that Shiel Wood has done to help elevate the Red Raiders.
I mean, I feel like it’s safe to say that without his work on the defensive side of things, Texas Tech almost certainly isn’t in the College Football Playoff contending the way that it is. We’re talking about one of the worst defenses in the country becoming one of the absolute best. Kudos to Wood for all that he’s done for Texas Tech’s defense.