LAS VEGAS — The Texas Tech football team was picked ninth in the preseason poll of Big 12 media and eighth in the USA TODAY Sports network poll of writers who cover the conference.
That’s not as ominous as in previous years. Given the Big 12 now houses 16 teams, eighth and ninth are middle of the pack. And the Red Raiders can take heart from the consensus view expressed on Tuesday’s day one of Big 12 media days.
Commissioner Brett Yormark told writers and broadcasters assembled at Allegiant Stadium the Big 12 “will be the deepest conference in America.” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, whose team landed third in both the Big 12 and USA TODAY Sports Network preseason polls, touted the parity.
And Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, whose team is the favorite in both, sees a wide-open race.
“We got picked number one,” Whittingham said, “but in my estimation eight or nine teams could win this thing, so we’ll just have to see how things unfold.”
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Now that Texas and Oklahoma are gone to the Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 includes a sizable pool of football programs with comparable talent, resources and periods of success. That being the case, Yormark says “every week will matter” and “November will be incredibly exciting.”
Four Big 12 holdovers, plus newcomers Arizona and Utah, won eight to 10 games last season. For Texas Tech to crack that upper crust, Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire says his team must play better on the road. Tech plays five of its first seven games at home, and McGuire’s teams are 8-2 in November and December in his first two years.
However, the Red Raiders were 3-8 in road games the past two years.
“We have not been tough enough to…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/texas-tech-football-win-big-211333742.html
Author : Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Publish date : 2024-07-09 21:13:33
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