Texas Tech had no shortage of headlines to sort through, and Sunday’s biggest flashpoint came far from Lubbock. David Bailey and Patrick Mahomes II, two of the school’s most accomplished football alums, lined up against each other when Bailey’s NY Jets met Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs.
Bailey made his presence felt in a hurry.
Early in the game, he beat the Chiefs’ right tackle badly and hit Mahomes just before the quarterback could release the ball. The play was scored as a sack and a forced fumble for the rookie Bailey. Mahomes stayed on the ground afterward, clutching his right arm, but he avoided a major injury and eventually returned.
Once back in the game, Mahomes finished 23 of 31 for 242 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas City rolled to a 35-12 win. Bailey still turned in a strong outing in the loss, finishing with nine tackles, two sacks, and three tackles for loss.
The Red Raiders’ soccer team is also back in the spotlight tonight as it opens Big 12 Tournament play. Texas Tech enters as the No. 2 seed and will face No. 7 UCF at 5:30 pm in Mansfield, Texas.
The matchup carries a little extra familiarity. The teams played to a 2-2 draw in Orlando during the regular season, and Tech has never beaten the Knights on the pitch.
If the Red Raiders get through tonight, they would play either Houston or Baylor on Wednesday night at 7 pm. Every tournament game is available on ESPN+.
On the women’s basketball side, the Lady Raiders return to action tonight against Lamar at 6 pm in Lubbock. It will be the second look for fans at Stephanie Okechukwu, the 7-foot-1 center from Nigeria who already drew plenty of attention in her debut.
Okechukwu posted six points, ten rebounds, and three blocked shots in 21 minutes against Charlotte last Thursday, helping the Lady Raiders open the season with a 79-64 win. Texas Tech is 1-0, while Lamar comes in at 1-1. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.
One note that stands out with Okechukwu: the NCAA recently granted her four years of eligibility. That gives her time to grow into her game and, if things develop the way Tech hopes, become a major force down the line.
And then there’s volleyball, where the slide keeps going. Texas Tech dropped a 3-1 home match to Arizona on Saturday, extending its losing streak to 14 straight and leaving the Red Raiders still without a Big 12 win this season.
It has been a rough stretch, especially with the mid-season coaching change that came on September 13. Tech’s next chance to break through comes Thursday night at Utah, with first serve set for 8 pm on ESPN+.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Recruiting Surge Is Starting To Feel Very Real
Texas Techs recruiting momentum has taken another notable step with the verbal commitment of 4-star linebacker Jeremiah Proctor, a prospect who had previously pledged to Pittsburgh. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound defender from Gainesville, Georgia, gives the Red Raiders another high-upside piece for the 2027 class, and his profile fits the kind of national reach the staff has been trying to build. According to 247Sports, Proctor is ranked No. 372 overall and No. 29 among linebackers nationally.
For a program trying to turn recent recruiting buzz into something more durable, this is the kind of addition that matters beyond the headline. Texas Techs 2027 class is already sitting at No. 8 nationally, and landing a player with Proctors size and ranking only adds to the sense that the Red Raiders are making real progress on the trail. The bigger question now is whether they can keep stacking wins like this and hold that momentum as the cycle keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Gets Early Test That Should Reveal Plenty Fast
Illinois has opened the season with two lopsided wins and an offense humming at an eye-catching pace, which makes the next stop on the schedule feel like an early measuring stick rather than a routine nonconference date. Texas Tech is unbeaten too, and the matchup in Lubbock brings together a Red Raiders team with familiar faces and a chance to see how it stacks up against one of the countrys hottest starts.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, the former Illini guard, is part of the Texas Tech picture now, while All-Big 12 selection Darrion Williams gives the Red Raiders a proven centerpiece. They will have to navigate this one without JT Toppin, who is sidelined with an ACL injury, but the setting at United Supermarkets Arena should still tell plenty about where both teams stand this early. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Techs Late Defensive Surge Meant More Than Just A Win
A late defensive surge did more than close out a tight win over West Virginia for Texas Tech. Three critical sacks in the final stretch helped the Red Raiders finish off the Mountaineers, and they also gave the defense a little extra meaning beyond the box score.
Those sacks count toward a fundraising effort for Ronald McDonald House Southwest, with fans able to pledge donations based on how many times Texas Tech gets to the quarterback. The cause supports families with children receiving medical care in local hospitals, so every big stop now carries a reminder that the impact of a strong defensive night can reach well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]