The offseason for Joey McGuire and his Texas Tech football team has been filled with a new level of hope. Expectations from much of the national college football media have reached levels that haven’t been felt since 2008. McGuire has embraced and not shied away from championship-level expectations. Now, the Red Raiders finally will open up their season with an unfamiliar foe. The Texas Tech week one opponent is one that they have not played since 1992. But if Texas Tech is going to hit its potential ceiling for this season, it cannot look past the Wyoming Cowboys in week one.
Red Raider Defensive Lineman Can Feast
The biggest mismatch in this game can be found along the line of scrimmage. Specifically, Texas Tech’s front four could have a monster day against the Cowboy’s offense. Last year, Wyoming only averaged 21.2 points per game (110th of 131 nationally). In fact, the last season in which Wyoming averaged more than 26 points per game in a season was 2016. The Pokes want to possess the ball and establish a running game. However, that means Wyoming has to find an answer for Tony Bradford Jr. and Jaylon Hutchings. Both of these anchors of the Red Raider defense are playing in their fifth and sixth seasons respectively. Hutchings was named to the 2023 preseason All-Big 12 team.
If Wyoming is forced to play from behind and rely on the passing attack, it could be a big day for Syracuse transfer Steve Linton. He spent most of his time as a defensive lineman for the Orangemen but is going to transition to an outside linebacker/edge rusher role for the Red Raiders. Linton is getting a lot of NFL draft buzz as well as from the Texas Tech staff. He is already drawing comparisons to recent first-round draft pick Tyree Wilson. Linton still has much to prove, but this could be a great first audition to show NFL scouts.
Cowboys Defense Denser Than The Oxygen
The Texas Tech offense is always going to garner plenty of attention. This year is no different with Tyler Shough at quarterback and basically every starter back on the offensive side of the ball. He also has a 2023 preseason All-Big 12 wide receiver in Jerand Bradley to get the ball to on the outside. However, the Texas Tech offense faces a stiffer test than their defensive counterparts. It starts with linebacker Easton Gibbs who was a first-team All-Mountain West performer in 2022. Wyoming also has four defensive linemen who could find themselves on an All-Mountain West team by year’s end. They include Braden Siders, Jordan Bertagnole, DeVonne Harris, and Cole Godbout. It will be interesting to see how Offensive Coordinator Zach Kittley calls the game early on. The offensive line struggled throughout the 2022 season. But the unit should be much improved in year two under Kittley’s system.
Need To Win the First Quarter
The noise surrounding this program has been very audible since the end of last season. In order to demonstrate that this team is capable of handling those expectations is to come out of the game firing on all cylinders. If it was against a more marquee opponent on the road, there would not be a concern about looking ahead to the Ducks in week two. War Memorial Stadium has a capacity of just over 30,000 people. But don’t anticipate all 30,000 seats filled as it is the opening to deer season on September 1st.
Texas Tech is going to play in front of roughly 20,000 people at most, against a team that they have a decided talent advantage over. A Texas Tech week one win starts with opening the game by dominating the first quarter. Having the lead after the first quarter, will demonstrate this team is focused on the task at hand and not getting over its skis.
Texas Tech Week One Prediction
Ask 2019 Missouri what happens if the Pokes are taken lightly in Laramie. For that matter, ask the 1956 Red Raiders. The 7-1 Border Conference Champions slept on a Wyoming team coming off a fourth-place finish in the Skyline Conference. And that sleepy effort resulted in a 21-14 upset win for the Cowboys. That said, much of the Last Word Staff projects a lot of success for Texas Tech this season. This is an experienced team that is more talented than its opponent in all phases of the game. While next week’s game against looms large and has national implications, McGuire will have his team ready. There will be no toe stubbing in week one. Expect the Red Raiders to handle business in Laramie.
Texas Tech 42, Wyoming 14
Photo courtesy: Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
