“No Number, No Problem: Texas Tech Flying Under the Radar After Big 12 Scraps Preseason Poll — But the Red Raiders Are Still on Everyone’s Watchlist”
The Big 12 made a surprising move this offseason by doing away with its traditional preseason poll, leaving teams across the conference without a familiar number next to their name heading into fall. For Texas Tech, that absence might seem glaring, especially for fans eager to see the Red Raiders recognized among the league’s top contenders. But if recent developments, offseason momentum, and national whispers are any indication, Joey McGuire’s squad doesn’t need a ranking to make noise—they’re already on the radar of every coach, scout, and analyst paying attention. In fact, the lack of a number might be just what Texas Tech needs to fuel a season of reckoning, underpinned by grit, growth, and a roster deeper and more talented than Lubbock has seen in years.
The decision to scrap the preseason poll left many scratching their heads. For decades, it had served as a bellwether—flawed though it was—of expectations, media perception, and early respect. In lieu of rankings, programs are now left to shape their narratives without a numeric identity, giving some schools cover and others added motivation. For Texas Tech, this absence feels both like an oversight and an opportunity. After years of climbing back to relevance in the post-Leach era, the Red Raiders enter 2025 with something different: quiet confidence and an expectation to win—not just compete—with every snap.
Last season was a test of resilience, marked by highs and lows, but the program emerged stronger. A bowl win capped the campaign, and McGuire’s infectious culture of belief continued to attract high-end talent through both high school recruiting and the transfer portal. The Red Raiders have built something more durable than a flash-in-the-pan season; they’ve constructed the foundation of a sustainable winner. It’s not just about wins anymore—it’s about attitude, identity, and culture. And that culture, according to players and coaches around the league, is something no poll could ever quantify.
Quarterback play has long been the focal point in West Texas, and the 2025 season will be no different. The Red Raiders return a savvy, poised leader under center, someone who’s taken lumps, delivered clutch throws, and earned every ounce of locker room trust. The offensive line, once a liability, has become a strength, molded by both internal development and calculated portal additions. Running backs and wide receivers form a dangerous arsenal, and the defense—often the Achilles heel in the past—is now an aggressive, attacking unit that flies to the football with purpose.
None of this happens without coaching. McGuire, a high school legend turned college head coach, has found the sweet spot between old-school toughness and modern innovation. His players love him. Recruits respect him. And opposing coaches? They fear what he’s building in Lubbock. That’s not hyperbole. In offseason interviews, anonymous coaches from across the Big 12 have pointed to Texas Tech as a “sleeping giant,” noting their rise in development, buy-in, and execution. One even went as far as saying the Red Raiders were “the most complete team we faced last year—just didn’t get the breaks.” That kind of reputation doesn’t require a preseason number; it demands attention regardless of where a team is listed—or not listed.
National media may be slow to wake up, but the whispers are growing louder. Texas Tech is appearing on sleeper lists, best offensive line units, and top breakout teams of 2025. Analysts who know ball aren’t buying into the lack of Big 12 rankings as a reflection of talent; they’re looking at depth charts, coaching continuity, and returning production. Those factors, not a meaningless July ranking, will determine who wins games in October and November.
The schedule also sets the stage for opportunity. Texas Tech opens with a winnable non-conference slate that should allow the team to gain rhythm before diving into the gauntlet of Big 12 play. Rivalries old and new will test the Red Raiders’ mettle, but don’t be surprised if Texas Tech begins knocking off name-brand programs and earning national headlines by midseason. With no preseason hype to protect or burden them, this team is free to write its own story—a story that many inside the program believe will end in Arlington with a shot at the Big 12 title.
Recruiting remains the lifeblood of any successful program, and Texas Tech has hit a gear not seen in years. The Red Raiders are stacking classes filled with high-upside prospects and immediate contributors. The 2026 cycle has already been kind to Tech, with top-tier talent citing McGuire’s vision and the staff’s personal touch as major factors in their commitment. Development is equally impressive—players arrive in Lubbock raw and leave polished, both athletically and mentally. The pipeline is being built, brick by brick, and the rest of the conference is beginning to notice.
Still, perception lags reality. The preseason poll might be gone, but its shadow still looms. Some fans and observers may look for rankings as a shorthand for legitimacy. Texas Tech doesn’t have that luxury this year—but maybe that’s a blessing in disguise. Without external pressure, the Red Raiders can focus on what matters most: fundamentals, execution, and chemistry. There are no egos in this locker room—just a collection of players who believe in each other, who have bought into a larger mission, and who wear the scarlet and black with pride and purpose.
Leadership within the team is another asset that goes overlooked in ranking systems. Veterans on both sides of the ball have taken ownership of the program’s culture. Younger players are being held accountable. Standards are set not by coaches yelling from the sideline, but by teammates demanding the best from one another in the film room, weight room, and on the practice field. That kind of environment breeds champions. It also creates teams that are dangerous when counted out—teams that don’t need to be validated by a preseason number to prove their worth.
Lubbock itself has always been a unique environment. Isolated, loud, passionate—it’s a place where opponents often struggle, where the fanbase brings energy regardless of record or ranking. But now, the vibe is shifting. It’s not just rowdy—it’s hopeful. It’s not just loyal—it’s expectant. Fans believe this team can do something special this year, and not because of a press release or a poll, but because of what they’ve seen unfold in the trenches, at practice, and in the direction of the program. Texas Tech is no longer chasing relevance—they’re chasing rings.
And that pursuit won’t be defined by whether a panel of media members assigns them a spot in a poll. It will be defined by what they do on the field: how they execute in crunch time, how they respond to adversity, and how they handle success when it inevitably comes. The Red Raiders aren’t playing for perception. They’re playing for something more real—wins, championships, and the pride of a program that’s long been capable of more.
There’s something liberating about being unranked, unseen, or underestimated. It gives a team permission to grind without the noise. It gives coaches leverage to preach the value of preparation. It gives players an edge—a reason to go harder in film study, in drills, in the fourth quarter when fatigue sets in and games are won or lost. That’s the advantage Texas Tech carries into 2025. They’re not resting on hype—they’re forging their identity in fire.
The Big 12 might not have a preseason poll anymore, but if they did, one has to wonder just how high the Red Raiders might have climbed. Top five? Maybe. Top three? Possibly. But none of that matters now. What matters is that the team is unified, talented, and battle-ready. They’ve got a chip on their shoulder and a point to prove. And that might be more dangerous than any ranking could ever suggest.
So while Texas Tech may not have a number next to its name, it has something far more powerful—a program aligned from top to bottom, a fanbase hungry for glory, and a roster built to contend. The rest of the conference might not have a clear picture of where the Red Raiders stand just yet, but they will soon. Because whether or not they’re ranked in July, the only number that counts will be on the scoreboard when the clock hits zero. And in that game—the one that happens on the field—Texas Tech plans to be on top.
