LAS VEGAS — The Texas Tech football team was picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 Media preseason poll and eighth in the USA Today Sports Network poll of reporters covering the conference.
That's not as ominous as other years — there are 16 teams currently in the Big 12, with No. 8 and No. 9 in the middle — and the Red Raiders can take heart from the consensus expressed on Tuesday, the first day of Big 12 media days.
Commissioner Brett Yormark told reporters and announcers gathered at Allegiant Stadium that the Big 12 “will be the deepest conference in America.” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, whose team finished third in both the Big 12 and USA Today Sports Network preseason polls, touted that balance.
And University of Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who is considered the favorite to win both tournaments, sees the race as a close one.
“We're the No. 1 pick,” Whittingham said, “but my guess is eight or nine teams could win it, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.”
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With Texas and Oklahoma now in the Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 will contain a multitude of football programs with similar talent, resources and periods of success, Yormark said. “Every week will matter,” he said. “November will be incredibly exciting.”
The four Big 12 holdovers and newcomers Arizona and Utah all won between 8 and 10 games last season. For Texas Tech to move up that list, Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire said his team will have to play better on the road. Texas Tech has played five of its first seven games at home, and McGuire's teams are 8-2 in November and December in his two years on the job.
But the Red Raiders are 3-8 on the road over the past two years.
“We just weren't tough enough to win on the road,” McGuire said. “Winning on the road consistently has been one of our biggest weaknesses. It's hard to do that in this conference, but if we're going to be in the mix to win and be told we're going to play in the Big 12 championship game at the end of the year, we've got to find a way to win on the road.”
McGwire and four members of his staff traveled to Detroit in late May to consult with Lions coach Dan Campbell, whose team was 6-3 on the road last year.
Tech's away games this year include games at Washington State, Arizona, TCU, Iowa State and Oklahoma State.
