2011 Texas Tech Red Raiders College Football Expert Predictions, Picks, Vegas Odds and Schedule – Texas Tech NCAA Football Preview: With new coach Tommy Tuberville at the helm, gone are the days when Texas Tech was boasting about possible 100-point performances and throwing 60-plus time a game. That being said, the Red Raiders are still using powerful spread passing offense, but a few more running plays are being mixed in these days. By adding a little more balance to the offense, the Red Raiders hope to transform themselves from a pass-happy bowl team to a legitimate Big 12 title contender.
Last season, Texas Tech ranked in the top 10 nationally with more than 300 passing yards a game, but the offense also tallied nearly 150 yards per game on the ground. However, starting quarterback Taylor Potts and starting running back Baron Batch were both lost to graduation. While there will be two new starters at two key offensive positions, the Red Raiders’ system has allowed whoever steps under center to put up impressive numbers. Replacing a starter QB and running back is never ideal, but it won’t be a death sentence for Texas Tech in 2011-12.
Potts will be replaced by either Seth Doege or Jacob Karam, and both players may see some game action in the first few games of the season before a definite starter is named. Whoever ends up calling the shots will be breaking in a few new wide receivers. Juniors Alexander Torres and Austin Zouzalik saw limited action, but they will be taking over as starters for a pair of seniors that both topped 800 yards last season. The good news is that much like the QB position, the parts seem to change at the other skill positions for the Red Raiders, but the results typically stay the same.
The bad news for the Red Raiders is that their normally explosiveness offense is generally accompanied by an equally porous defense. Last season, Texas Tech got burned to the tune of more than 30-plus point per game. In five of the last six seasons, the Red Raiders have allowed opponents to score at least 25 points per game. Tuberville and company will welcome multiple junior college transfers to the defensive unit this season in the hopes of creating a quick fix for the team’s biggest weakness. While the transfers, along with a few incoming freshmen, are highly ranked, inexperience is still going to be a factor in an offensive-minded conference like the Big 12.
Looking at the schedule, the Red Raiders have the misfortune of catching Oklahoma and Texas on the road. Home games against Texas A&M and Oklahoma State will be tough to win as well. Texas Tech closes the season with back-to-back road games at Missouri and Baylor, and while both teams aren’t pushovers, the matchups are both winnable for the Red Raiders.
The ceiling for Texas Tech this season is probably nine wins, which is right about where the Red Raiders have been for the better part of a decade. They have averaged eight wins a year since the start of the 2002 season and should be able to reach the total once again in 2011-12. That being said, a conference title is still likely out of reach. Texas Tech may be among the best in the nation at running the spread attack, but the Red Raiders aren’t the only team in the conference that runs the system effectively, and they don’t have enough on defense just yet.
2011 Texas Tech Red Raiders College Football Predictions: 8-4 Record
Preseason 2011 Texas Tech Red Raiders NCAA Football Odds:
Odds to Win 2012 BCS Championship: NA/Off the Board
Odds to Win 2011 Big 12 Champonship: +1800
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2011 Texas Tech Red Raiders College Football Schedule
Sat, Sep 3 Texas State TBA —
Sat, Sep 17 at New Mexico 3:30 pm —
Sat, Sep 24 Nevada TBA —
Sat, Oct 1 at Kansas TBA —
Sat, Oct 8 Texas A&M TBA —
Sat, Oct 15 Kansas State TBA —
Sat, Oct 22 at Oklahoma TBA —
Sat, Oct 29 Iowa State TBA —
Sat, Nov 5 at Texas TBA —
Sat, Nov 12 Oklahoma State TBA —
Sat, Nov 19 at Missouri TBA —
Sat, Nov 26 at Baylor 3:30 pm —
Check out NSAwins.com’s official 2011 Big 12 Football Odds and Preview article.
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