When the Texas Tech football team hosted then-No. 13 Oregon in September, the Ducks were the highest-ranked non-conference opponent to visit Jones AT&T Stadium since 1994 and the highest-ranked for a home opener since 1979.
Red Raiders fans looked forward to it throughout last off-season.
This off-season, Tech fans might look forward to the regular-season finale as much as any, not so much because of the caliber of opponent, but because of a 24-hour sports whirlwind on Thanksgiving weekend. The Red Raiders will host old rival Texas A&M in men’s basketball on Nov. 29, followed by a home football game the next day against West Virginia.
“Having A&M in basketball Friday night and West Virginia in football on Saturday could lead to an exciting weekend,” Tech athletics director Kirby Hocutt said, “especially when we’re in contention to go to Arlington and play for a conference (football) championship.”
The date of the West Virginia game was revealed when the Big 12 released the conference schedule on Jan. 31. The Thanksgiving weekend arrangement was something Texas Tech brass had hoped would fall into place.
“That was one request we had: If at all possible, we would like to have a home (football) game to set up that weekend,” Hocutt said, “so I was excited to see that was the case.”
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Wanting a Thanksgiving weekend home football game represents a change in philosophy for Tech compared to some points in years past. Before Tech hosted Oklahoma the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2022, the Red Raiders had not played at home on Thanksgiving weekend since 2010. The Red Raiders also never played at home on Thanksgiving weekend from 1985 through…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/texas-tech-football-basketball-thanksgiving-101119276.html
Author : Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Publish date : 2024-02-12 10:11:19
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