No. 12 Texas Tech heads to Boulder on Saturday night with a clean record and a growing belief that this version of the Red Raiders can travel.
That hasn’t always been the case under Joey McGuire. Texas Tech opened his tenure 4-10 in true road games, but the script has flipped in a big way since then.
The Red Raiders have won seven of their last eight away from home, including a 4-1 run in 2025, and their lone road trip this season ended with a win at Oregon State. Now they’ll try to make it 2-0 on the road against Colorado.
Texas Tech arrives at 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12 after a 49-14 victory over Sam Houston last Saturday. The headline play belonged to linebacker Austin Romaine, who turned back-to-back interceptions into touchdowns on consecutive snaps in the second quarter.
"I was in disbelief that I did it twice in a row," Romaine said. "It was crazy."
For all the fireworks, McGuire still saw plenty to clean up. Quarterback Will Hammond threw interceptions on three straight second-quarter possessions, and the Red Raiders also coughed up a fumble in the fourth quarter. That kept the game tighter than it needed to be at halftime, when Texas Tech led just 21-14.
"I'm excited about being 4-0. I'm proud of these guys, how they came out in the second half," McGuire said.
"But it happened again. We've got way too many self-inflicted wounds in the first half.
That's why we're playing close games. That's why we're allowing people to be in the game or why we are allowing it to be a closer game than it should be."
Colorado, meanwhile, comes in at 2-2 and 0-1 in Big 12 play after dropping two straight. The latest setback was a 23-13 loss at Baylor last week, and head coach Deion Sanders turned to backup Isaac Wilson after halftime in search of a spark.
Julian Lewis started all four games, but the offense has sputtered outside of a 52-21 win over FCS opponent Weber State, when he threw four touchdown passes. Against Baylor, Lewis managed 75 passing yards in the first half as Colorado scored only three points before Wilson entered and went 12-for-25 for 156 yards and a touchdown.
Sanders said Tuesday he has not decided who will start at quarterback against Texas Tech and wants to see "how practice plays out this week" before naming a starter.
The Buffaloes also may be without second-leading receiver DeAndre Moore Jr., who left the Baylor game with a head injury after taking a big hit and did not return. Moore has 15 catches for 200 yards and a touchdown this season.
Linebacker Tyler Martinez was also injured against the Bears, and the problem appeared more serious after he was seen in a walking boot later that day. Sanders said Tuesday he is not sure whether the injury will end Martinez’s season.
Even with those issues, Sanders said he believes Colorado can respond.
"We're so much better, especially the coaching staff, so much better than what we're producing right now," Sanders said. "We've got to do better."
In Other News...
Colorado Suddenly Faces A Linebacker Problem Deion Sanders Must Solve
Colorados linebacker room took a hit in Week 4 when Tyler Martinez went down with a lower-leg injury against Baylor, and Deion Sanders said the injury could end his season. The timing matters for a Buffaloes defense that has already had to adjust on the fly, with Gage Goldberg stepping into a larger role and leaning on the presence of veterans Liona Lefau and Gideon Lampron around him.
For Sanders, the immediate challenge is keeping that group steady if Martinez cannot return, while also trying to preserve some long-term value from a difficult setback. He said he hopes Martinez can secure eligibility for next season, leaving a lingering offseason question even as Colorado tries to sort out its present-day linebacker rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Heads Into Brutal Stretch With One Huge QB Question
With Colorado staring at a demanding run of games, the focus around the Buffaloes has shifted to the quarterback battle and how the offense will sort itself out. Wide receiver Joseph Williams has seen enough from both Julian Lewis and Isaac Wilson to believe the room is in good hands, pointing to the traits they share and the poise they bring to the huddle.
Williams also made clear the locker room is prepared to rally around whichever quarterback gets the nod. For a team headed into a tough stretch, that kind of buy-in matters just as much as the depth chart, and it gives Colorado a chance to keep building even as the competition at the game's most important position remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Faces An Early Test That Will Say A Lot
Texas Tech comes into Week 5 unbeaten, ranked No. 12 and carrying a 4-0 record into a matchup that should tell plenty about where Colorado really stands early in the season. The Buffaloes are 2-2, and while their own start has been uneven, the bigger spotlight is on how they handle a Red Raiders team that has looked far steadier on paper and in the standings.
Much of the attention centers on Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond, whose completion rate has been a talking point along with some turnover concerns. Even with those questions, the Red Raiders have enough around him to make this a difficult early test for Colorado, and the numbers behind both teams suggest the gap may be wider than the records alone show. [Read more 🡒]