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...
Texas Tech Still Awaits Colorados Biggest Decision For Saturday
Deion Sanders is still sorting out the most important spot on Colorados depth chart heading into Saturdays matchup with No. 12 Texas Tech at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes coach said he has talked with both Julian Lewis and Isaac Wilson, but the final call at quarterback will come down to what he sees in practice before kickoff.
For Texas Tech, the uncertainty adds another layer to a trip that already carries plenty of weight. Colorado is trying to settle its offense against a ranked Red Raiders team on Oct. 3, and Sanders choice will shape how the Buffaloes approach one of their biggest tests of the season. Until then, Tech can only prepare for either possibility. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Fans Face A Tougher Price To See Texas Tech
The trip to Boulder is shaping up as one of the pricier ones on Colorados home schedule, with the Buffaloes set to host Texas Tech at Folsom Field in a Big 12 matchup that has drawn plenty of attention on the secondary market. Tickets are already available starting around $100, and the official range runs from roughly $100 to $303, putting this one among the more expensive remaining home games for Colorado.
Texas Techs No. 11 ranking is doing plenty to drive the demand, but so are the extra layers around the game itself. Colorado has tagged the matchup as both Homecoming and a Stripe Out, a combination that tends to make a Saturday feel bigger than the standings alone and helps explain why fans hoping to be there may need to pay up. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Captain Sends Clear Message Before Colorado Test
After Texas Techs 49-14 win over Sam Houston State, captain Ben Roberts made it clear the Red Raiders are already shifting their attention to the bigger test ahead. The linebacker said the challenge now is making sure what shows up in practice carries over when the games count, with film study and preparation at the center of that push as Colorado comes into focus.
Roberts also pointed to teammate Brock Golwas as part of the reason the defense has been able to settle in, and he noted his own role on that side of the ball this season. For a Texas Tech team looking to build on a sharp opening performance, the next step is less about what the tape looked like in practice and more about whether that standard can survive the jump into conference-level pressure. [Read more 🡒]