What Ever Happened to Raider Red?

Three weeks after upsetting #3 Oklahoma, and on the heels of a 66-6 dismantling by Oklahoma State, Texas Tech (5-5) is in danger of not being bowl eligible for the first time since 1992.

Upcoming games against Missouri and Baylor await Tommy Tuberville's team and, quite frankly, things don't look promising for the Red Raiders.

Despite losing leading rusher Henry Josey to the trifecta MCL, ACL, and patellar tendon tear, Mizzou was able to handle a resurgent Texas Longhorns squad last week.

Against Texas, the Tigers put up 17 points against the Big 12's stingiest defense. Texas Tech is ranked 113th in the nation in total defense. There will be blood.

While Baylor has been spotty this season (the Bears are only 3-3 in Big 12 play), head coach Art Briles and electric quarterback Robert Griffin III will be looking to finally topple the Raiders after a string of close games.

This Tech team was less of a paper tiger and more of a paper house-cat. No one expected them to be good, but I doubt anyone had any idea that they would be this bad.

They shouldn't be this bad -- but there were signs.

Early Season Concerns

Tuberville's squad began the season 4-0, with first year starter Seth Doege putting up huge passing numbers in offensive coordinator Neal Brown's offense. Through their first four games, the Red Raiders averaged over 47 points per contest, but numbers don't tell the whole story.

In the season opener against Texas State, Tech went into the half down 10-9 to former Big 12 foe Dennis Franchione.

The Red Raiders poured it on in the second half, winning 50-10. They followed up this performance with a throttling of New Mexico to the tune of 59-3.

It took a touchdown pass with 44 seconds left in the game for Tech to secure a 35-34 victory over Nevada. Maybe that's forgivable, Nevada runs a pistol offense, which can be difficult to defend if you're not familiar with it.

Next, Tech took on hapless Kansas. The Jayhawks held a 27-24 lead at halftime. A second half rally earned the Red Raiders a 45-34 victory, but 34 is the most that the Jayhawks have scored on a conference opponent.

Things Fall Apart

The Texas Tech/Texas A&M rivalry kind of flies under the radar, but these people hate each other.

Ever since this incident in 2001, the two fanbases have been at each other's throats.

The ire between the two schools was probably exacerbated by the 10-5 advantage Tech held over A&M in Big 12 play prior to this year, Mike Leach's open disregard for the passion and pageantry of Aggieland, and this year's fishbait debacle.

Despite Tech's Big 12 era dominance, Mike Sherman managed rattle off two wins a row against the Red Raiders, frustrating Tech's attempts to even up the overall series record.

All that to say, a victory over an experienced A&M squad would have been huge for the young Red Raiders.

Tech managed to hang with the Aggies for most of the game, with a chance to pull within five points late in the third -- only to have a field goal blocked and returned for a touchdown. Tech was never able to overcome the two touchdown deficit and fell to the Aggies 45-40.

Tech also lost leading rusher Eric Stephens for the year after a questionable hit. Stephens was a big part of the Red Raider offense, amassing 570 yards and 8 touchdowns prior to his injury.

Tech shouldn't have lost this game. A&M was reeling from two consecutive meltdown losses. Tech had them at home, in their last game as conference foes, and it was close.

Tech followed up the Aggie loss with another close home defeat.

Twilight of the Masked Riders

The Red Raiders were hanging tough with Kansas State, power towel enthusiasts and the surprise team of the Big 12. With two and half minutes left to play, Tech recovered an onside kick and had to drive 53 yards for a game tying touchdown.

It was right out of Friday Night Lights, or any number of Mike Leach engineered comebacks from the past 12 years.

Instead, the Red Raiders gained all of six yards and lost another winnable game 41-34.

Spirits low, decimated by injury, somehow, this Red Raider squad managed to limp into Norman and take down the Sooners 41-38.

Looking at the final score, you may think that Tech finally fought hard to the end and won a close game.

What really happened was that Tech almost managed to blow a 24 point lead after thoroughly dominating the Sooners in the first half. The Red Raider secondary laid down and the Sooners were a missed 28 yard field goal away from sending the game to overtime.

Ineptitude Incarnate

Over the past three weeks, the Red Raiders have been a different team.

A different, remarkably terrible team.

They've gone from a team with inconsistent execution to a team with absolutely no execution.

Tech has been outscored 159-33 over their last three contests. The Red Raider defense is physically overmatched and their formerly potent offense has been absolutely neutered.

The Red Raiders blew their best chance for a home conference victory by being blown out by perennial conference bottom-feeder Iowa State 41-7.

The next week, Texas housed them 52-20, compiling over 400 rushing yards in the process.

But both of those losses pale in comparison to the beat-down Oklahoma State laid on Tech.

Brandon Weeden and the Cowboys had their way with Tech defense, going up 49-0 at the half. When the carnage was finally over, Oklahoma State won 66-6.

I can't decide which better illustrates the sheer futility of Texas Tech football better right now. It's either this video of the worst special teams play I have ever seen.

Or, the fact that the only points Tech scored against Oklahoma State were on a fumble returned for a touchdown, after which the Red Raiders promptly missed the extra point.

In the face of such horrors, it's understandable that folks might act irrationally.

The Final Verdict

I don't know what to make of this Texas Tech team. I don't think Tommy Tuberville knows what to make of this Tech team.

There's no reason that a team that averaged 43 points a game over their first seven games should suddenly be incapable of putting up an offensive touchdown.

The offense that Brown runs is good. Doege is good. Tech's usual conglomeration of receivers are all good. Backup running backs Aaron Crawford and DeAndre Washington are good enough.

There haven't been any rumors of unrest in the Raider clubhouse. Last week, tight end Jace Amaro tweeted this:

It's as if an entire Division-I football team just forgot how to play.

The Red Raiders likely won't make a bowl this year, and I have no idea why.