Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Texas Tech Red Raiders have released their 2013 football schedule and a number of things are drawn to attention right away.
The first is an early conference battle with the TCU Horned Frogs in only the third week of the season. This, in conjunction with the non-conference schedule consisting of the SMU Mustangs, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and the Texas State Bobcats, composes four consecutive games before the first bye week.
Second, the uneven balance of bye weeks on the schedule creates a situation in which Texas Tech plays four games, has a bye week and then plays seven straight games through the heart of conference play.
With a bye week on weeks 13 and 15, the Red Raiders have to truck through seven of the hardest conference opponents without a break. Lucky for them, they only play two of those seven games on the road, which brings me to my next point.
These two road games come against the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Oklahoma Sooners during weeks eight and nine.
This could be a tough challenge for the Red Raiders, who will need to travel to two of the toughest stadiums in not only the conference, but also in all of college football, in two consecutive weeks.
Overall, I’m giving the Red Raiders a B for strength of schedule, and I had to fight myself to take away the minus. The seven consecutive games in the middle of the season will be tough — very tough. The reason this is keeping me from giving anything higher than a B, is the fact that five of those games are in Lubbock.
The thing keeping me from lowering it any further than a B, is the fact that the two road games are in two very tough places to play.
The non-conference schedule is weak, though irrelevant. TCU adds strength to the early schedule strength.
The Red Raiders should be pleased with their 2013 schedule.
Mike is a Big 12 Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MikeAtkinsonRS, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
