Texas Tech set to host Tarleton State in first-ever meeting

TARLETON STATE at TEXAS TECH
Lubbock, Texas | Jones AT&T Stadium
Sept. 16, 2023
Big 12 Now on ESPN+ | 6:00 p.m. CT

GAME LINKS

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech enters unfamiliar territory Saturday as the Red Raiders will search for their first win of the season in week three when they host Tarleton State in a 6 p.m. kickoff inside Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders will play in front of another sold-out crowd when they host the Texans for their first-ever matchup against the program, it is the second of three advanced sellouts for the 2023 season. Texas Tech experienced one of its best opening crowds in recent memory against No. 13 Oregon as 56,200 fans packed Jones AT&T Stadium.

Broadcast coverage will be provided by Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Noah Reed will have the call, alongside Ryan Leaf providing the analysis while Tori Petry will be on the sideline. The broadcast can be accessed from any desktop or laptop computer, any personal cellular device and television streaming services using the ESPN app. Registration for the subscription service can be found at ESPNPlus.com.

Texas Tech Sports Network will also broadcast the game over 46 affiliates throughout the state of Texas and New Mexico as Brian Jensen will have the call alongside analyst John Harris and sideline reporter Chris Level. The radio broadcast can also be heard on SiriusXM channel 392, as well as on the Varsity app.

ARRIVE EARLY

With the ongoing $230 million south end zone and Womble Football Center construction project, Texas Tech highly encourages fans to arrive to Jones AT&T Stadium early each gameday as capacity crowds are expected for each home game. Additionally, fans are asked to please enter the stadium as early as possible to avoid longer entry lines closer to kickoff.
One of the most notable changes around Jones AT&T Stadium will be the closing of Sixth Street each gameday, namely the area between the ongoing south end zone construction site and the Sports Performance Center. This area will be closed to pedestrian traffic on gameday due to the construction project and to ensure both teams can safely reach their locker room in a timely manner.
Fans with seats on the east side of Jones AT&T Stadium are encouraged to enter through Gate 3 this season and use the north inner concourse to reach their section.
Students should continue to utilize Gate 6.
Once inside, fans are reminded that the only way to move from the east or west side of Jones AT&T Stadium to the other is via the north inner concourse behind the north end zone building. There will not be a concourse area in the south portion of the stadium this season due to construction.

CORY MORROW ANNOUNCED AS RAIDER ALLEY PERFORMER

Join the pregame party at Raider Alley in the historic Engineering Key of Texas Tech featuring a performance by Texas country music artist Cory Morrow.
Raider Alley opens at 2 p.m. and music begins at 4 p.m.
Raider Alley is free for all fans.

CITIBUS TO OPERATE SHUTTLE SERVICE FOR FANS

Citibus will provide roundtrip shuttle service beginning three hours prior to kickoff until one hour after the conclusion of the game at only $5 per person. Pick-up is located north of the John Walker Soccer Complex and northwest of the Health Sciences Center. Fan shuttle service is also provided for fans from the gameday parking lots to Raider Alley this season. The drop-off location on the north end of the Engineering Key is in addition to the normal gameday route.
***Beginning this year, Citibus will only accept payment through the "Go Pass" app. Signage and QR codes will be available near each pickup location on gameday.***
Hop on a Citibus from satellite parking and get dropped off directly to Raider Alley.

RED RAIDERS IN UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY

There's no doubt the Red Raiders are entering unfamiliar territory thanks to an 0-2 start that is their first since the 1990 season. This is the 11th time in Texas Tech's now 99 seasons of football that the Red Raiders have started a year with an 0-2 record.
Of those previous 10 seasons, Texas Tech has rebounded to post a winning record only once, which came in 1947 under head coach Dell Morgan. The Red Raiders rebounded from an 0-2 start to win six of their next eight games and ultimately reach the Sun Bowl in what was only the third bowl appearance all-time for the program.
Texas Tech is 3-7 all-time in its third game of the season after an 0-2 start. The Red Raiders previously prevented three-consecutive losses in 1990 with a victory at New Mexico as well as in 1988 with a win over Baylor and again in that 1947 season by topping West Texas State.

NON-CONFERENCE RECORD STILL STRONG

Texas Tech has experienced several significant winning streaks snapped in recent weeks following its losses to Wyoming and Oregon to start the season. It marks the first time Texas Tech has dropped multiple non-conference games in a season since falling at No. 12 Ohio State and at home versus No. 16 N.C. State early in the 2002 campaign.
Texas Tech had previously won 34-consecutive regular season games at home or on the road against non-power-five opponents prior to falling at Wyoming to start the season. It marked the first time Texas Tech has dropped a non-conference game against a Group of Five foe since falling at No. 17 Houston, 29-28, early in the 2009 season. In addition, Texas Tech had not lost to an unranked, Group of Five opponent since New Mexico surprised the Red Raiders, 27-24, in 2004.
The Red Raiders had previously won each of their previous 23 home openers before falling last weekend at the hands of No. 13 Oregon. It marked the first loss in a home opener for Texas Tech since 1999 when North Texas shocked the Red Raiders, 23-14, in the third game of the season.
Even with the two losses, the Red Raiders have been dominant against non-conference foes over the past two decades, especially at home. Texas Tech has now won 41 of its last 43 nonconference games at home dating back to the 2002 season with its lone two losses during that span coming against Arkansas in 2014 and then Oregon this season. The Red Raiders are an impressive 48-3 overall in non-conference home games since moving to a spread offense in 2000.
Oregon represented the highest-ranked non-conference opponent to visit Jones AT&T Stadium in recent years as the Ducks entered the contest ranked 13th by both major polls. It marked the highest-ranked non-conference opponent for the Red Raiders at home since No. 1 Nebraska traveled to Lubbock early in the 1994 season. The Ducks were the first ranked opponent to serve as Texas Tech's home opener since No. 15 Oklahoma defeated the Red Raiders in 1992.

THROWBACKS PLANNED FOR TARLETON STATE

Texas Tech will once again turn to its past this weekend against Tarleton State with a throwback uniform combination inspired from the 1960s. The popular uniform, inspired by images of Red Raider great Donny Anderson, features a Double T helmet, a simple red jersey with white lettering and a white striped pant that remains one of the most-popular in the minds of Red Raider fans thanks in part to Anderson's legacy. Anderson, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Texas Tech Ring of Honor, was a three-time All-Southwest Conference halfback from 1963-65 and a two-time All-American. His team in 1963 was the first in school history to don the iconic Double T on its helmet.

TEXAS TECH-TARLETON STATE CONNECTIONS

Tarleton State head coach Todd Whitten began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech from 1988-89 under legendary head coach Spike Dykes. Whitten, now in his third stint as Tarleton's head coach, earned his master's degree in sports administration from Texas Tech in 2000. This will be the second time he has faced the Red Raiders as an opposing head coach as he previously served as the head coach at Sam Houston State from 2005-09. His third career game leading the Bearkats came against Texas Tech, which was an 80-21 rout by the Red Raiders in Lubbock.
In addition to Whitten, Tarleton State defensive line coach Fred Tate also spent time on the Texas Tech staff, serving in a similar position in 2012 under head coach Tommy Tuberville.
Tarleton State offensive coordinator Mason Miller will see a familiar face on the Texas Tech sideline this weekend in Antonio Huffman, the Red Raiders' Associate A.D. for football administration. The two were on the same Washington State staff together in 2018 with Huffman in a similar off-the-field role under head coach Mike Leach, while Miller was the Cougars' offensive line coach. Miller later faced Texas Tech in 2021 as the offensive line coach for Mississippi State in the Autozone Liberty Bowl.
Tarleton State special teams coordinator Michael Walton is a West Texas native as he grew up in Earth, which is roughly 60 miles from Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock.
Texas Tech seniors Myles Cole and Quincy Ledet Jr. both began their collegiate careers at Louisiana-Monroe where they were recruited by a staff that featured Tarleton State safeties coach Scott Stoker, who served as the Warhawks' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Stoker ended his tenure in Monroe as the interim head coach late in the 2020 season when Ledet was a true freshman and Cole was a sophomore.

INSIDE THE TARLETON STATE SERIES

This will be the first all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Tarleton State. This is the second-consecutive season the Red Raiders have faced a new, first-time opponent from the FCS level as Texas Tech previously opened the 2022 campaign against Murray State.
Tarleton State is in its fourth season since transitioning to the NCAA FCS level from the Division II ranks. The Red Raiders are the second FBS program to host the Texans during this transition period as TCU previously topped Tarleton State, 59-17, during the 2022 season.

TECH VERSUS THE FCS

Texas Tech has compiled a 26-1 all-time record against FCS opponents since the NCAA divided its Division I schools into two divisions in 1978. Texas Tech enters this weekend having won each of its last 20-consecutive games against FCS opponents dating back to the 1988 season. The NCAA renamed Division 1A and Division I-AA to FBS and FCS in 2006 to note the distinction in football programs.
Texas Tech's lone loss to an FCS program came in 1988 when North Texas stunned the Red Raiders, 29-24, inside Jones AT&T Stadium. The loss opened the second full season for the Red Raiders under head coach Spike Dykes.
Texas Tech is averaging an impressive 51.4 points per game against FCS foes. Over a 10-year stretch from 2010-19, the Red Raiders reached the 40-point mark in each game versus an FCS program and won by an average 40.0 margin of victory (56.7-16.7). Texas Tech easily hit the 40-point mark again a year ago, routing Murray State, 63-10, in its debut under head coach Joey McGuire.
The previous two seasons, the matchups were much closer with Texas Tech claiming a 35-33 victory in 2020 over Houston Baptist and a 28-22 victory over Stephen F. Austin in 2021. The Houston Baptist program in 2020 featured current Red Raider offensive coordinator Zach Kittley in a similar capacity.
Over its history, Texas Tech has played all 27 games against FCS opponents inside Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders are averaging 38.7 points as the margin of victory historically against FCS opponents as Texas Tech will be facing a lower-division foe for the 19th-consecutive season.

TICKETS GOING, GOING, GONE

For months, Joey McGuire encouraged Red Raider fans to purchase their season tickets before it'd be too late. That time officially came in early August when Texas Tech announced it had officially sold out of season tickets for the 2023 campaign. In total, Texas Tech sold 31,649 season tickets for this season, which includes 6,511 new season tickets after an impressive debut for the Red Raiders under McGuire and his staff.
In addition, Texas Tech reached sellout status for its first three home games against Oregon, Tarleton State and then Houston in its Big 12 home opener. Texas Tech's capacity has been set for 56,200 for the 2023 season due to the ongoing construction on the south end zone portion of Jones AT&T Stadium.
Over his two seasons as head coach, Texas Tech has added more than 13,000 season tickets since McGuire's hiring in November 2021. Texas Tech previously sold 28,000 season tickets for McGuire's debut season in 2022, which, like this year's total, ranks among the top-10 highest season ticket counts in program history.

Texas Tech set to host Tarleton State in first-ever meeting

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Myles Cole

Quincy Ledet Jr.

Texas Tech set to host Tarleton State in first-ever meeting

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Myles Cole

Quincy Ledet Jr.

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