The Texas Tech Red Raiders bounced back from a sub-par 2011 season (5-7) by finishing their 2012 campaign with an 8-5 mark. Texas Tech also earned its third straight postseason win, topping Minnesota 34-31 in the Car Care Bowl. Despite a successful season, Tommy Tuberville, to the surprise of many, bolted Lubbock for the Cincinnati job. In steps former Red Raiders quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, who served as Texas A&M's offensive coordinator last season; he is the youngest head coach in the BCS. The transition at head coach has the odds makers expecting a step back from Texas Tech this year. The Red Raiders are favored to win fewer than 7.5 games (-230 odds) in the latest 2013 College Football Predictions and they are distant seventh choice to win the Big 12 Championship at +2500 odds ($100 wins $2500).
Kingsbury performance last season, bumping up the Aggies point per game average by 5.4 points while helping guide Johnny Manziel to a Heisman Trophy season, would suggest he is ready for the spotlight.
Kingsbury will have a new quarterback with Seth Doege moving on, but sophomore Michael Brewer acquitted himself well in limited action last year, completing 34-of-48 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Kingsbury also inherits what should be an improved defense as eight starters and 27 lettermen return from last year's group.
The Red Raiders schedule also break about as favorable as a Big 12 schedule can as they will host TCU, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State while playing winnable road games at Kansas and West Virginia.
Texas Tech Red Raiders 2013 College Football Predictions:
Texas Tech Odds to win the 2014 BCS National Championship +75000
Texas Tech Odds to win the Big 12 Championship +2500 (seven of 10)
Texas Tech Regular Season Wins: Over 7.5 (+170), Under 7.5 (-230)
2013 Schedule with LVH and Golden Nugget Early College Football Game Lines:
8/30 at SMU
9/7 Stephen F. Austin
9/12 TCU (Golden Nugget: Texas Tech +4, LVH: Texas Tech +6)
9/21 Texas State
10/5 at Kansas
10/12 Iowa State
10/19 at West Virginia
10/26 at Oklahoma (Golden Nugget: Texas Tech +14)
11/2 Oklahoma State
11/9 Kansas State
11/16 Baylor
11/28 at Texas (Golden Nugget: Texas Tech +16, LVH: Texas Tech +16.5)
Betting College Football Openers
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