Conference Big 12 Conference Coaches No. 12 2008 record 11–2 (7–1 Big 12) | Division South AP No. 12 Head coach Mike Leach (9th year) | |
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The 2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Mike Leach. The Red Raiders played their home games at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.
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With an 11–1 record in the regular season, the Red Raiders finished in a three-way tie with the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns atop the Big 12 South. In order to break the tie, BCS standings were used to determine who would face Missouri in the conference championship game. The Sooners, ranked #2 in the BCS polls at the time, were chosen to represent the South Division in the game.
In a 2013 poll, the 2008 team was voted as the second best team in Texas Tech football history, losing to the 1973 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team by a margin of 53.2% to 46.8%.
Rankings
Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel has Tech ranked at #10 in his preseason poll and later #8 in his college football power rankings. The team is also ranked #10 in the preseason by Fox Sports. ESPN.com writer Mark Schlabach ranked the Red Raiders #12 in his preseason poll and later #11 and #8 in revised editions of his preseason polls. In a March 26, 2008 article, Yahoo! Sports writer Olin Buchanan declared that Tech could challenge Oklahoma and Texas for supremacy in the Big 12 South in 2008. As plusses, he cited a strong quarterback (Graham Harrell), experienced wide receivers (including Michael Crabtree), and five returning starters on the offensive line. As a weakness, he mentioned the defense's trouble stopping the run but speculated that a year of experience and new talent may help to alleviate this problem. Another weak spot he pointed out was the Red Raiders' trouble moving the ball on the ground on those rare instances when a rushing play is called.
Texas Tech was ranked #14 in the preseason USA Today Coaches' Poll, their highest ever preseason ranking since the 1977 season when they came in at #8. The Associated Press's preseason poll put the team at #12.
Dave Campbell's Texas Football
Coach Mike Leach, along with players Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree were featured on the cover of the 2008 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football. The magazine predicted that the 2008 Red Raider football team would be the best in Texas and would challenge for the Big 12 South title.
Personnel changes
On January 22, 2008, Ruffin McNeill was hired as the team's defensive coordinator. He had held the position in an interim capacity since Lyle Setencich was reassigned during the previous season. After McNeill took over from Setencich, the Red Raiders' numbers for the 2007 season improved in all areas: rushing defense per game (198.1 to 157.1), passing defense per game (206.8 to 190.8), scoring defense per game (28.2 to 24.5), opponent first downs per game (22.5 to 19.9), and opponent third-down conversions per game (47.8% to 39.3%). For the McNeill-coached games, Tech’s average yield of 347.9 yards was the lowest allowed in the Big 12 Conference, and the scoring defense was fourth-best in the conference for that time frame.
On February 1, 2008, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen resigned his position with the Red Raiders. He announced that he had been hired to the same position with the Houston Cougars.
Schedule
Source:
Player awards
Sorted alphabetically by last name.