Texas Tech Red Raiders is 1-0 on the season, 0-1 against the spread, and holds a power rating of +17.8. Texas Tech Red Raiders enters the season with a power rating of +17.8, placing them above average relative to the FBS midpoint. The Texas Tech Red Raiders head to Oregon State next in Week 2. In 2025, Texas Tech Red Raiders went 12-2 overall, 11-2 against the spread, and 5-9 on totals.
In Week 1 of 2026 the Texas Tech Red Raiders Power Rating of +17.8 is 17.8 points above the FBS average according to Blue Chip Analytics. Texas Tech Red Raiders have logged 0 miles of travel so far, out of a season total of 7,050 miles, ranking 68th heaviest in the FBS.
Kirk Francis QB, Lloyd Jones III QB, Will Hammond QB, Cameron Dickey RB, J'Koby Williams RB, Howard Sampson OL, Jacob Ponton OL, Sheridan Wilson OL, Terrance Carter Jr. TE, Kenny Johnson WR
Trey White EDGE, Adam Trick EDGE, Austin Romaine LB, Ben Roberts LB, Brice Pollock CB
Stone Harrington K
| After | Record | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 |
| Week 2 | 2-0 | 1-0 | 2-0 |
| Week 3 | 3-0 | 2-0 | 2-1 |
| Week 4 | 4-0 | 3-0 | 2-2 |
| Week 6 | 5-0 | 4-0 | 2-3 |
| Week 7 | 6-0 | 5-0 | 3-3 |
| Week 8 | 6-1 | 5-1 | 3-4 |
| Week 9 | 7-1 | 6-1 | 3-5 |
| Week 10 | 8-1 | 7-1 | 4-5 |
| Week 11 | 9-1 | 8-1 | 4-6 |
| Week 12 | 10-1 | 9-1 | 5-6 |
| Week 14 | 11-1 | 10-1 | 5-7 |
| Week 15 | 12-1 | 11-1 | 5-8 |
| Postseason | 12-2 | 11-2 | 5-9 |
A season record is a record, not a forecast. Blue Chip Analytics' own research finds that beating the closing line repeats at close to zero from one season to the next - see most underrated and overrated teams. Read the table as what happened, not as what is likely to happen next.
Opened +20.9 in the preseason and finished +17.8 after week 2, a move of -3.1 points. High +21.1 (week 1), low +17.8 (week 2).
PreW2
SP+ is an independent opponent-adjusted efficiency rating, one of the systems blended into the Blue Chip Analytics power rating rather than a Blue Chip Analytics number itself. Defensive SP+ measures points allowed, so a lower figure is a better defence - the rank beside it already accounts for that.
Source spread is how far apart the independent rating systems are on this team, not a margin of error on our own number. A wide spread means the models disagree, which is itself worth knowing.
The measured and applied home field advantage agree to within 1.0 points here, so smoothing changes little for this venue.
| Opponent | Met | Record | ATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian | 1 | 1-0 | 0-1 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Houston | 6 | 6-0 | 5-1 |
| Colorado | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Arizona State | 4 | 2-2 | 1-2-1 |
| Cincinnati | 1 | 1-0 | 0-0-1 |
| Arizona | 2 | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| West Virginia | 10 | 6-4 | 6-4 |
| Oklahoma State | 9 | 4-5 | 8-1 |
| Baylor | 9 | 4-5 | 5-3-1 |
| TCU | 9 | 3-6 | 5-4 |
No meeting on record since 2016: Sam Houston.
Week 07,050 mi total
| Week | Opponent | Distance | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 0 | - | Bye | |
| Week 1 | Abilene Christian | Home | 0 mi |
| Week 2 | Oregon State | 1,371 mi | 2,742 mi |
| Week 3 | Houston | Home | 2,742 mi |
| Week 4 | Sam Houston | Home | 2,742 mi |
| Week 5 | Colorado | 481 mi | 3,703 mi |
| Week 6 | - | Bye | |
| Week 7 | Arizona State | Home | 3,703 mi |
| Week 8 | Cincinnati | 1,038 mi | 5,780 mi |
| Week 9 | Arizona | Home | 5,780 mi |
| Week 10 | West Virginia | Home | 5,780 mi |
| Week 11 | Oklahoma State | 324 mi | 6,429 mi |
| Week 12 | Baylor | 311 mi | 7,050 mi |
| Week 13 | TCU | Home | 7,050 mi |
| Week 14 | - | Bye | |
| Week 15 | - | Bye | |
| Week 16 | - | Bye | |
| Postseason | - | Bye | |
After a turbulent offseason that saw Brendan Sorsby leave the program amid a gambling scandal and a legal battle, the Red Raiders have turned to Will Hammond. Hammond, who tore his ACL last season, returned in Week 1 and threw for 298 yards and a touchdown against Abilene Christian. His performance validated head coach Joey McGuire's confidence in him as the starter. The team also has Kirk Francis, a Tulsa transfer with starting experience, and Lloyd Jones III as backups, but Hammond's strong debut suggests the job is his to lose.
Texas Tech's running back duo of Cameron Dickey and J'Koby Williams, who combined for nearly 2,000 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns last season, picked up where they left off. In the opener, Williams scored a rushing touchdown, and newcomer Quinten Joyner, a USC transfer who missed all of last season with a knee injury, also found the end zone on his first regular-season touch. This three-back rotation gives the Red Raiders a versatile and deep ground attack that should wear down opponents as the season progresses.
Despite losing several NFL Draft picks, including the nation's 2025 sack leader David Bailey, Texas Tech's defense looked formidable in Week 1. The unit held Abilene Christian to just 119 passing yards, a stark contrast to the 506 yards they allowed in the previous meeting two years ago. Transfers Trey White and Adam Trick, who brought impressive pass-rush numbers from their previous schools, are expected to anchor the defensive line. Cornerback Brice Pollock, a first-team All-Big 12 pick last season, also returns to lead the secondary.
Stone Harrington, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and All-Big 12 first-teamer, kicked four field goals in the season opener, including a 28-yarder after an interception. His big leg, which produced a career-long 58-yard field goal last season, gives Texas Tech a scoring threat from distance. The team is breaking in a new punter after Jack Burgess graduated, but Harrington's consistency in the kicking game remains a key asset in close contests.
Texas Tech enters the season as the defending Big 12 champion and is ranked No. 12 in the AP poll. The roster is considered among the most talented in the conference, but the schedule includes tricky matchups against Houston, Arizona, and Oklahoma State, plus a Week 2 road trip to Oregon State. The Red Raiders' 33-10 win over Abilene Christian, while not covering a massive spread, showed they can control games with a balanced offense and a stingy defense. The key will be maintaining that consistency as they face tougher competition in conference play.
Texas Tech Red Raiders is 0-1 against the spread in the 2026 season, covering 0% of games.
Texas Tech Red Raiders holds a Blue Chip Analytics power rating of +17.8, representing their expected point margin against an average FBS team on a neutral field.
Texas Tech Red Raiders's home field advantage rating is 2.8 points, the venue adjustment Blue Chip Analytics applies for games at their home stadium.
Texas Tech Red Raiders's consensus regular-season win total for 2026 is 11.5 wins, priced at +180 over and -230 under. This is the betting market's expectation, not a Blue Chip Analytics projection.
Texas Tech Red Raiders travels 7,050 miles in the 2026 season, ranking 68th heaviest in the FBS.
Cumulative travel distance counts both the outbound and return journey for every away game. For example, if a team travels 374 miles to play an away game, Blue Chip Analytics counts 748 miles (374 miles there, 374 miles back) toward the cumulative total. Home games and bye weeks add zero miles. The per-week Distance column shows the one-way distance only, as the return trip happens after the game is played.
Texas Tech Red Raiders: 1-0 overall, 0-1 ATS, power rating +17.8 (2026 records).
.png)
