Texas Tech University Athletics
Game Preview: Sam Houston State
August 30, 2015 | Football
Texas Tech begins its 91st season of football Saturday afternoon when the Red Raiders host Sam Houston State at Jones AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT with television coverage provided by FOX Sports Net.
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Aug. 30, 2015
Fans may tune into one of the 44 region-wide affiliates of the Texas Tech Radio Network. Brian Jensen returns to the broadcast booth as play-by-play announcer for his 16th consecutive season and is joined by veteran John Harris, who will be in his 33rd year of providing analysis. In his sixth season, Chris Level rounds out the crew as sideline reporter.
In Sam Houston State, Texas Tech plays its 1,000th all-time football game. The Red Raiders own a 544-423-32 all-time football record in 90 total seasons. The Red Raiders have accumulated 55 winning seasons and advanced to 36 bowl games.
Both Texas Tech and Sam Houston State open their 2015 season on Saturday. Last year, Texas Tech finished a disappointing 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the Big 12 Conference. The sub-.500 season marked Texas Tech's second sub-.500 season in the last 22 years.
Sam Houston State enters the 2015 season ranked No. 4 nationally by the FCS Coaches and No. 3 in the STATS FCS polls. For the third time in the last four seasons, the Bearkats advanced to the FCS NCAA Semifinals before losing 35-3 to eventual national champion North Dakota State. The Bearkats tied for the Southland Conference title with an 11-5 overall and 7-1 league record. Sam Houston State, which has won eight of its last nine games, returns 21 starters, including nine on offense and 54 lettermen, including preseason all-conference quarterback junior Jared Johnson and sophomore defensive end P.J. Hall, the reigning conference freshman of the year. With 98 total points and eight first place votes, Sam Houston State was picked by league coaches to repeat as league champions in 2015. Twelve Bearkat players earned preseason All-Southland Conference honors.
The Red Raiders have won 12 consecutive season openers and 14 consecutive home season openers dating back to the 1992 season. Tech has also defeated each of its last 14 FCS opponents since 1988.
Beginning his third season as Texas Tech's head football coach, Kliff Kingsbury returns 16 starters from last year's team. As head coach at his alma mater, Kingsbury is 2-0 in season openers, including a 42-35 home win over Central Arkansas in 2014 and a 41-23 win at SMU in 2013.
TOP GAMEDAY STORYLINES
? Texas Tech plays its 1,000th all-time game when its opens the 2015 season against Sam Houston State on Saturday, Sept. 5.
? Texas Tech enters the 2015 opener on a 12-game home winning streak in season openers. The Red Raiders also have won 14-consecutive home season openers dating back to the 1992 season opener.
? Texas Tech's 12-game winning streak in season openers currently ranks tied for the sixth-longest active streak in the country.
? Texas Tech returns 16 starters including nine on offense and seven on defense.
? Texas Tech returns 78 percent of its total offensive yardage from 2014, where the Red Raiders ranked 10th nationally in that category.
? Texas Tech is one of the nation's most consistently successful football programs as the Red Raiders have enjoyed winning or .500-plus seasons in 20 of the last 22 years and earned postseason bowl bids in 13 of their last 15 campaigns. Tech has also made 36 all-time bowl bids, a number that ranks among the nation's best.
? The Red Raiders enter their matchup with Sam Houston State with a 26-1 overall record against non-conference opponents at Jones AT&T Stadium dating back to the 2003 season.
? This is the first time in school history where Texas Tech has opened a season against Sam Houston State. The two teams have only met one other time previously which resulted in an 80-21 rout for the Red Raiders on Sept. 17, 2005, at Jones AT&T Stadium. Texas Tech boasts an 18-1 all-time record against FCS opponents.
TEXAS TECH AND SAM HOUSTON STATE
? Texas Tech and Sam Houston State meet for the second time in series history. Tech is 1-0 all-time vs. SHSU.
? The two schools first met on Sept. 17, 2005, at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders claimed an 80-21 victory before 50,171 in attendance.
? With its 80 points against SHSU, Texas Tech snapped its school scoring record, which stood for 52 years. The 1953 team set the previous mark with a 71-0 shutout of New Mexico A&M in Lubbock. The Red Raiders started quickly with four first quarter touchdowns and led 28-0. The four touchdowns set a school record for most TDs scored in a quarter. Tech's 49 points in the first half tied the school record for most points scored by halftime, matching the record set against Baylor in 2001.
? The Red Raiders amassed 770 total yards, a mark that ranks second in school history since 1950. Texas Tech quarterback Cody Hodges completed 26 of 37 passes for 436 yards and four TDs and backup Graham Harrell completed 14 of 17 passes for 208 yards with one TD. Robert Johnson led Tech with eight catches for 209 receiving yards.
? Against Southland Conference opponents, Texas Tech owns a 14-3 all-time record (Abilene Christian, 6-3; Central Arkansas, 1-0; Lamar, 2-0; Northwestern State, 2-0; Sam Houston State, 1-0; Stephen F. Austin, 2-0).
| Game Information | |
|---|---|
| Opponent | Sam Houston State Bearkats |
| Date/Time | Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015/2:30 p.m. (CT) |
| Location | Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas |
| Radio | Texas Tech Sports Network from Learfield Sports | Network Affiliates | Listen Online Brian Jensen (Play-by-Play/16th Season), John Harris (Analyst/33rd Season), Chris Level (Sidelines/6th Season), Steve Pitts (Engineer/37th Season) |
| National Radio | None |
| Satellite Radio | Sirius Channel 108/XM Channel 199 (Texas Tech Broadcast) |
| Television | FOX Sports Net | TV Listings Mike Morgan (Play-by-Play), Gary Reasons (Analyst); Steffi Sorensen (Sidelines) |
| On The Web | Live statistics at TexasTech.com | Gametracker |
| Rankings | Texas Tech (AP: unranked); (USA Today Coaches: unranked) Sam Houston State (STATS FCS: No. 4); (FCS Coaches: No. 3) |
| Head Coaches | Texas Tech: Kliff Kingsbury (Career: 12-13 in third season; At Texas Tech: 12-13 in third season) Sam Houston State: K.C. Keeler (Career: 185-79-1 in 22nd season; At SHSU: 11-5 in second season) |
| Against Sam Houston State | Texas Tech leads the series, 1-0. (80-21 victory on Sept. 17, 2005) |
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