Texas Tech opened Big 12 play with a win, but nothing about it felt comfortable. The Red Raiders fell behind early, battled back and escaped Houston with a 28–26 victory after the Cougars came up inches short on a potential game-tying two-point conversion.

The Washed Up Red Raiders break down the uneven offensive performance, the quarterback situation, the defensive plays that ultimately saved the game and the biggest concerns still facing this team. Will Hammond let it fly and brought home the W. Was this simply a gritty conference win against a ranked opponent, or did Houston expose issues that could become costly later in the season?

A win is a win, and Texas Tech is still undefeated, but there is plenty to clean up.

Texas Tech left Corvallis with a 35–24 victory and an undefeated record, but it certainly wasn’t the comfortable win Red Raider fans expected.

This week, we break down the slow start, the defensive breakdowns that kept Oregon State in the game, the quarterback rotation between Will Hammond and Thomas Castellanos, J’Koby Williams’ impact on the ground, and the fourth-quarter response that finally allowed Tech to pull away.

Was this simply a gritty road win, or did it expose problems that could become costly during Big 12 play? We discuss what still gives us confidence, what must be cleaned up immediately, and what this performance means as the Red Raiders prepare for Houston.

Texas Tech opened the 2026 season with a 33–10 win over Abilene Christian, but the final score doesn’t tell the entire story.

In this episode, the Washed Up Red Raiders break down Will Hammond’s return to the field, an impressive performance by the rebuilt Texas Tech defense, the offense’s frustrating red-zone struggles, and the biggest takeaways from Week 1.

Was it simply early-season rust, or did the ACU game expose problems that could follow the Red Raiders into tougher competition? Plus, we look ahead to Saturday’s road matchup against Oregon State and discuss what Texas Tech needs to clean up before heading to Corvallis.

Wreck ’Em!

Texas Tech football is back, and so are the Washed Up Red Raiders.

In our first episode of the season, we break down where the Red Raiders stand heading into 2026, the expectations surrounding this team, the biggest questions we still need answered, and what we’re watching as the season gets underway.

We talk roster, coaching, expectations, potential concerns, and just how high the ceiling really is for Texas Tech this year.

The offseason is over. The predictions are done.

Now we get to find out who this team really is.

Welcome back to Washed Up Red Raiders.

Keenon and John recap the win over Kent State, look ahead to the Oregon State game as well as chat a minute about Charlie Kirk and why we do this podcast in the first place. 

John and Keenon are back. The two washed up Red Raiders are here to discuss and argue all things Texas Tech athletics. First up, the win over Arkansas Pine Bluff. Not much to argue about! Solid win. Biggest concern is Behren Morton's health. Do the guys have any inside info?

Our Texas Tech Men's basketball team gets a couple of March Madness wins against UNCW and Drake - now headed to the Sweet 16 against a tough Arkansas matchup. Aaliyah Chavez chooses Oklahoma and the baseball team's struggles continue.

John and Keenon discuss their first two round predictions for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in March Madness as well as more baseball talk post Houston sweep looking into the TCU series over the weekend.

How far can this men's basketball team go? Are Chance and D5 healthy? What can we expect?

It's been a while, Red Raiders! But we're still here. Keenon and John discuss the insane recruiting class hitting our Texas Tech Football program, some not good Aaliyah Chavez news, and the rising Texas Tech Men's Basketball program who begin the week in the AP top 10!

Another brutal loss for our Texas Tech Red Raiders as Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffs take home the win in Lubbock. Who's to blame? Horrid officiating played a large part. Our offense went completely dead midway through the first and never seemed to come back. Is Coach Kittley eventually going to cost Joey McGuire his job? We dive into it all!