The Texas Tech Red Raiders began the 2026 football season with a 33‑10 triumph over Abilene Christian at Galaxy Stadium, a result that initially secured a No. 12 ranking in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the Coaches Poll.
Despite the comfortable margin, the poll voters treated the performance as underwhelming, prompting the Coaches Poll to drop Texas Tech a single spot to No. 13, while the AP Top 25 mirrored the movement, positioning the Red Raiders between Alabama and USC.
Within the Big 12, Texas Tech now sits two places ahead of BYU, and the conference landscape remains tightly contested with Alabama still leading the poll, underscoring the early-season volatility among top programs.
Week 2 Outlook
The Red Raiders' next test comes on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, when they travel to face Oregon State, a matchup that could provide a bounce‑back opportunity and a chance to re‑enter the top tier of the national rankings.