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SI has them ranked 71 or something...they are beatable...

New QB, poor line
BAD BAD Dfence

We can run up their middle, hold the clock, and keep their offense off the field. Our DBacks and LBs are our strength.

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DTs stretched thin at Tech

By Don Williams
Avalanche-Journal

Tuesday afternoon, Tommie Pratt got to put on shoulder pads in Texas Tech training camp for the first time, and probably not a moment too soon. Now Tech assistant coach Ruffin McNeill has five defensive tackles with whom to work instead of four. McNeill could take every interior lineman he coaches down to Olan Mills for a group portrait and squeeze them all into the same sitting. That says a lot about how few 300-pounders are left to shore up the middle of the Red Raiders¹ defense.

McNeill looks on the bright side.

"Some (position) groups have 15 and 12 and 18 (players) in them," he said. "We have (five), so they get double and triple the reps of somebody else, but those guys need that, because none of them have played significantly in a game."

Sagarin rankings, which are based solely on wins/losses and SOS, have us at #27.

We are beatable, but not by SMU.

------------------
And when I die
You can bury me
In Lubbock, Texas,
In my jeans.

-Mac Davis

Yes we can beat Tech. We can beat anyone on our schedule. It is just the odds are against us. That said, I can't wait for the kickoff. I am ready for some football.

Are you flying out to the game Ponyte?

Unfortunately that is Labor Day weekend and I was informed that I had family obligations that weekend. Though things are not absolute, I probably will not be able to go. I should know in a few days.

[This message has been edited by ponyte (edited 08-14-2003).]

We could beat Tech, but I'm afraid it will be very tough. We'll need to play exceptionally well, Bartel will have to have a big day, Tech will need to play poorly and there will have to be a little luck involved.
In other words, I'm expecting SMU to win.

LOL...anyone care to make a little wager on this game,u people seem to think smu got a chance in Lubbock,Tx.? Step up don't be shy,let's see if anyone out there has any guts.[deleted] KICKIN TIME IS UPON YOU... RAIDER POWER!!!

Badass. Are you Johnny from the Karate Kid?

"Put 'em in a body bag"

or you could make a respone other than making fun of someones typing or grammar, hey mike, did you know smu has a new football stadium, one that they lost to tech in last year?

Raider | Power

Raider | Power

Raider | Power

will run out of fuel.

Go Stangs

Texas Tech -- This is the same team that hasn't won a conference championship outright since they were in the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Conference?

Exactly - underachievers - they have a rich history of, well, of underachieving - milketoast, middle of the road, forgetable, yawn. It would be more interesting to be Baylor - at least someone would be paying attention.

You people are idiots-is there a team Texas Tech hasn't beaten in the Big 12 in the last 3 years?-I doubt it-maybe Nebraska. Averaging 49 points per game at home and beating Texas and A&M last year speaks for itself. SMU will have to play a great game to stay within 20 of Tech in Lubbock. Texas Tech has overachieved more than any team in Texas since the breakup of the SWC considering their limitations.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 08-15-2003).]

Chill out Stallion. The ponies are merely poking sticks at the bear, or rather the bed raiders. SMU doesn't have enough recent history with Tech to know what we are up against. Jones Stadium may be more deadly than Kyle Field, but who cares - its
pre-season hype because fans are ready for some football. Despite our taunts, Tech is not the least bit concerned about SMU. They feel so superior that they can't even understand why anyone would challenge the outcome of the game. It is for that reason that we played them close last year, and may well have another intersting game this year. But nobody is risking some coin on the deal unless they get very good odds. By the way, what will the point spread be? If we play dead, the odds might go up and make it even easier to win a bet against Tech.