Texas Tech fans certainly didn’t need another heart-stopping opener against Abilene Christian.
Two years after the Red Raiders barely escaped the Wildcats 52-51 in overtime, No. 12 Texas Tech took care of business Saturday night with a much more comfortable 33-10 victory. The defending Big 12 champions piled up 471 yards, welcomed quarterback Will Hammond back from a serious knee injury and held ACU to only 119 passing yards.
Still, there was one part of the night that should make Red Raider fans a little uneasy.
Texas Tech’s red-zone problems apparently didn’t disappear during the offseason.
That was one of the few glaring weaknesses on last year’s school-record 12-win team. In 2025, Tech scored touchdowns on only 55.5% of its red-zone opportunities, ranking 98th nationally.
Against ACU, the Red Raiders went just 2-for-5 on trips inside the Wildcats’ 20-yard line.
At first, it looked like that problem might be a thing of the past.
Quinten Joyner scored on a 14-yard run on Tech’s opening possession, making his first regular-season touch as a Red Raider count after missing all of last season with a knee injury. J’Koby Williams followed with a five-yard touchdown run, and Tech quickly had a 14-0 lead.
Then the touchdowns disappeared.
Texas Tech continued moving the football but repeatedly stalled as the field shortened. Stone Harrington ended up kicking four field goals, including a 28-yarder after John Curry intercepted ACU on the first play of the second half and gave the offense possession at the Wildcats’ 13.
Turning that type of opportunity into three points instead of seven didn’t matter against ACU. Against the teams Texas Tech expects to face while chasing another Big 12 championship and potentially a national title, it could be the difference between winning and losing.
That’s what makes Saturday’s struggles frustrating.
This offense isn’t short on weapons. Terrance Carter Jr., Coy Eakin and Micah Hudson give Hammond plenty of options, while Tech’s loaded running back room is expected to be among the best in college football.
Against an FCS defense, that collection of talent should be able to impose its will near the goal line.
There are reasons not to panic.
Tech clearly wasn’t interested in emptying the playbook in Week 1. There was little reason to expose its best offensive wrinkles against ACU, especially with tougher games coming. More importantly, the Red Raiders had every reason to protect Hammond in his first game since tearing the ACL in his right knee last October.
Hammond still looked solid in his return, throwing for 298 yards and a touchdown. His 64-yard scoring pass to Malcolm Simmons late in the fourth quarter finally ended Tech’s long touchdown drought and put an exclamation point on the victory.
So nobody needs to hit the panic button after one game.
But fans also shouldn’t completely dismiss what happened.
Red-zone efficiency was a legitimate weakness last season, and Saturday offered no evidence that it has been fixed. Five trips inside the 20 should produce more than two touchdowns for an offense with this much talent.
Texas Tech could get away with settling for field goals against ACU. It won’t always have that luxury.
The Red Raiders have bigger goals than simply beating teams they’re supposed to beat this season. They want another Big 12 championship, a deep College Football Playoff run and a shot at the national championship.
To get there, field goals are going to have to become touchdowns.
Saturday was a comfortable win.
