Big 12 Power Rankings: K-State Re-Establishing Themselves in Conference

Nov 2, 2013; Lubbock, TX, USA; The Texas Tech Red Raiders mascot on the sidelines in the second half in the game with the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Jones AT

6. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Record: 7-2 (4-2)

Previous Ranking: 3

Last Week: OSU 52, Tech 34

This Week: vs Kansas State

Next Week: at Baylor

Texas Tech is suffering from two critical problems: turnovers and playing teams who can make them pay for their turnovers. Three turnovers against Oklahoma and three more against Oklahoma State help provide the difference in those two games. This shouldn’t be too unexpected when starting freshman quarterbacks, but turnovers are a fixable thing that will come with experience and more coaching.

Something Tech can do to help them overcome those turnovers is to be better on third down. Tech was 4-for-15 on third down against the Cowboys and 5-for-14 against the Sooners. Extending drives is going to be critical against Kansas State, Baylor, and Texas, who can each put up big numbers on the scoreboard and force turnovers. Tech’s defense is good enough to slow down all three of those offenses if they are given enough time to rest and stay off the field.

While the 7-0 start was tremendous, Tech cannot afford to finish the season 0-5 with their only Big 12 wins coming against the four worst teams in the conference. Tech has to pick up at least one win over the next three weeks if they want to consider this season a success.