Texas Tech Football: Can Red Raiders bounce back after disappointing 2019?

How will Texas Tech football fare in 2020?

The Big 12 is planning on moving forward with the 2020 season, having a mainly in-conference schedule. Texas Tech will be able to get one FCS opponent in before they see Texas on Sept. 26.

• Sept. 12: vs. Houston Baptist (W) — Houston Baptist is a FCS team that has yet to achieve a winning season in its seven years of existence. While it did play better than expected last year, Texas Tech should comfortably win this one as they gear up for conference play.
• Sept. 26: vs. Texas (L) — Since losing to Texas Tech in his freshman season, Sam Elingher is 41-for-61 with 757 total yards, seven touchdowns and no turnovers against the Red Raiders. I see him being the difference maker once again and lead Texas to a win at home.
• Oct. 3: at Kansas State (L) — This will be a very competitive game especially when matching up Texas Tech’s offense vs Kansas State’s defense. Kansas State wins this one in a tight game that goes down the wire.
• Oct. 10: at Iowa State (L) — Last time Alan Bowman and Brock Purdy faced off, both players struggled. While Bowman was injured last season, Purdy has progressed really well since that game. Watch for running back Breece Hall to make an impact on the ground and in the air.
• Oct. 24: vs. West Virginia (W) — The Red Raiders offense has a clear step up here. West Virginia struggled mightily on offense in 2019 barely averaging 20 points a game. They will struggle keeping up with the high powered Texas Tech offense.
• Oct. 31: vs. Oklahoma (L) — There will be no shortage of fireworks here. The last two games between these teams that took place in Lubbock were one possession games. Home field will help here, but I don’t see them getting enough stops against Lincoln Riley and company.
• Nov. 7: at TCU (L) — TCU’s record from 2019 may not impress you, but they were a team that just like Texas Tech, battled the whole way. Six of their seven losses were by one possession. The game between these two last year was fun with Texas Tech storming back from a 21-point deficit but falling short in the end. I’ll take TCU here as I think they are going to be improved in 2020.
• Nov. 14: vs. Baylor (L) — Continuing a common theme, I don’t think the defense will be able to stop this talented Baylor offense. Watch out for James Lynch to cause havoc against whoever Tech trots out at tackle. Lynch was able to get 2.5 sacks against the Red Raiders last year and that was against a veteran in Terence Steele.
• Nov. 28: at Oklahoma State (L) — Texas Tech has gotten the better of Oklahoma State the last two years. But having a shaky defense play against Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace is the recipe for a rough night at the office. The Red Raiders were able to put up 45 against Oklahoma State last year, and will probably have to do it again just to even compete in this shootout.
• Dec. 5: vs. Kansas (W) — Les Miles got his only conference win of the year in 2019 against Texas Tech on a walk-off field goal. The Red Raiders offense will be too much this time against a Kansas defense that allowed 40-plus points in five games last year.

Final Record: 3-7

In my opinion, losing Jordyn Brooks and Douglas Coleman is too much for this defense to overcome and make a turnaround for 2020. I think that unit will struggle to find their footing in this offense heavy conference. The offense should be good, but I don’t see them being on the level of Oklahoma, Texas or even Baylor.