​Okay, Texas Tech, now what are you going to do?Going 12-2 and winning the Big 12 Championship was nice and all, but it wasn’t enough.Arizona State won the Big 12 Championship in 2024, and it got knocked out in the first round, too.TCU went 13-2 with a spot in the national championship in 2022, and that was when Texas and Oklahoma were still in the Big 12.What will Texas Tech do to go from being the program that finally won something, to the program that can win everything?Can Texas Tech Prove Last Season Was Just the Beginning?Oct 18, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Will Hammond (15) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images- 2026 Texas Tech Schedule AnalysisRemember, this is a program that won absolutely nothing until last season.The previous outright conference championship was in 1955 in the Border Conference.There were a few co-championships since then in the old Southwest Conference, but whatever. Texas Tech had never won 12 games before last year, had only hit the ten-win mark once since 1976, and then, suddenly, it became a national power program.Texas Tech did exactly what you’re supposed to do in the modern age of college sports – at least if you have boosters with the means.If you’re a program that hasn’t known any real success, go get the players who’ll change that through the transfer portal.Texas Tech brought in the talent, found the right coach in Joey McGuire, and it all worked in a breakthrough season.However, in the 23-0 College Football Playoff loss to Oregon, Texas Tech looked like a program that bought its way into high society, but complained because the salad fork was chilled. It didn’t seem quite ready for primetime. (The handling of the Brendan Sorsby fiasco didn’t exactly help.)But last year was a first step – remember, Indiana got bounced out of the playoff in the first round two years ago. This season has to be when the Red Raiders show that there’s real staying power.This is when Texas Tech has to prove that it belongs in the country club.Texas Tech Quick HitsHead Coach: Joey McGuire (5th year: 35-18)Best Case / Worst Case: Win the Big 12 and get back to the College Football Playoff/Lose three or more games and be out of the mix earlyKey Player: Will Hammond, QB, Soph.2025 Record: 12-2Biggest Question: Can Texas Tech quickly replace all the stars who made last year so special?Texas Tech Key 2025 StatsFirst Quarter Scoring: Texas Tech 318, Opponents 62Penalties: Texas Tech 94 for 779 yards, Opponents 66 for 512 yardsTotal Offense: Texas Tech 6,459 yards, Opponents 3,616 yardsOffenseUp until the loss to Oregon, the offense did everything right. It averaged 39 points and 461 yards per game. The running game was good, the passing attack efficient, the offensive line solid, and there’s more than enough talent back to do it all again.What’s WorkingIt all starts with an offensive line that did just about everything right. Thre