Texas Tech appreciation

(James Duncan) #1

I know it’s game week and but setting aside our good natured trash talk, I’d like to comment on how Texas Tech has separated itself from the other Texas P5 teams towards playing against UH in football.

Personally I came back on the UH bandwagon 8 years ago after hearing about UH storming into OKSt and knocking out the then 3rd ranked team. What followed was a hugely hyped and memorable tilt vs the Red Raiders on espn, which was then my beginning point of strong UH fandom.

And if you simply compare the match-up history, the other P5 teams - UT, Waco, College Station, haven’t scheduled UH in so long that most of our players couldn’t even recall a game (and most weren’t even born for the latter two teams!).

Which makes Tech in stark comparison, a team who’ll play UH for the third time from that ‘09 game, and three more times in the next five seasons. I really appreciate that the two schools’ admins have fomented what looks to be a stable link on the football field when the other thee P5s have shown nothing, nor even a willingness to talk about a game.

So big props to the Raiders for continuing to play UH home and home. And It’s fitting that this next match-up is between undefeated teams, with promising seasons in front, and on ABC for most of the country to see.

#2

Good perspective and I appreciate this point of view, it’s refreshing.

(Jay C.) #3

Totally agree. I think TTU could very well be a very close partner to UH in the next round of conference realignment as well.

When the Big 12 inevitably disintegrates, the Horns are gonna do what the Horns are gonna do, and one would think the two remaining major public universities would align with one another.

#4

You are right. Props to Texas Tech for making that happen and making it at least possible for us to kick their tail.
I doubt Kliff had much if anything to do with making that happen but I still like him as a person and a coach. If we don’t win I hope he does.

(itcoog) #5

I agree at least they have the balls to get on the field.

#6

And TTU will do whatever UT tells them to do. TTU did not support us for membership in the B-12 last year.

(Patrick) #7

If expansion was a go, Tech would have voted for us.

We had at least 5 votes, the 4 TX schools and one other, most likely Kansas with their ties to ESPN. The other 5 were against our inclusion.

Expansion was tabled since two schools could not get the requisite number of votes and FOX wasn’t happy with the two most likely to get voted in (BYU and UH).

#8

I think That the Power Schools will do whatever it takes to keep UH out of their conferences if for no other reason than recruiting. That’s just my hunch, but if we were in a P5 or P4 conference, I think we could land some recruits who go elsewhere for the chance to get a ring. Those schools don’t want more competition in Greater Houston than already exists. I hope I’m wrong.

#9

It would have to make someone else a ton of money. Nobody is doing us any favors.

(Ricky ) #10

So does that leave the PAC 12 as our best shot of getting into a power 5?

#11

They have been for a while, IMO. We’re just waiting for the other chips to fall – if UT goes anywhere else (B1G, or Independent, or even ACC) I’m almost certain we’re in.

(Ricky ) #12

They make the most sense I guess. Would how far we are from some of the schools in the conference be a drawback for us when it comes time to adding new schools?

(Patrick) #13

PAC 12, if they expand by 4 schools next go around, is probably our best shot right now. What we don’t want is OU and UT to go there together as we’re probably out of luck if that happens. If only one goes, good chance we’re picked up for one of the other 3 spots.

Even if we aren’t picked up, we’ll probably move to the BIG 12. There’s a chance it stays a P5 conference for a little bit due to playoff contracts. Slight possibility it hangs on like the Big East did if OU and UT are allowed to bolt early

Outside chance at the ACC if they decide they need more inventory, but a lot would have to play out first.

(Patrick) #14

No, our location in a large metro area with large airports is considered a plus.

#15

I was just thinking about this today and glad someone else acknowledges that TTU is the only Texas P5 team with the balls to play us. Respect to them

#16

Probably, but they also don’t exactly have a surplus of viable candidates. They’re not gonna touch BYU’s religion or UNLV’s academics or Wyoming and Boise’s market, and they’re not going to add another school in any of the states they already have, so that basically leaves New Mexico as the only squint-and-they-kinda-make-sense candidate that’s closer than we are.

#17

Travelling to H-Town from West Coast may help us. I find travelling east from LA to Houston induces a bit of jet-lag the next day. Maybe I’m just getting old. From Mountain time I feel no effects.

(Will) #18

Thank You Texas Tech!

#19

And our television market supposedly is of major interest to potential conference suitors although no one has felt that strongly about it to pull the trigger and invite us in.