Texas Tech is 5-0, ranked No. 12 in the country and sitting atop the Big 12 standings.
So why does it feel like something is wrong?
Because for long stretches Saturday night against Colorado, the Red Raiders’ offense looked like a unit that could eventually turn a championship season into a missed opportunity.
Texas Tech escaped Boulder with a 29-7 victory, and nobody should apologize for winning a conference road game at altitude. But that final score hides just how uncomfortable this one was.
The Red Raiders trailed 7-3 at halftime. They went five straight possessions without scoring. They failed on two critical fourth-and-short attempts. Quarterback Will Hammond finished with only 134 passing yards.
If not for another terrific performance by the defense, we might be having a very different conversation.
Texas Tech’s defense keeps coming to the rescue
Four second-half interceptions completely changed the game.
Brice Pollock and Malik Esquerra helped create turnovers that gave the offense opportunities to finally pull away, while John Curry delivered the finishing blow with one of the easiest pick-sixes imaginable — intercepting Isaac Wilson while already standing in the Colorado end zone.
That defense deserves plenty of credit. After Colorado marched down the field for a touchdown on its opening possession, the Buffaloes never scored again.
But asking the defense to keep rescuing a sluggish offense is a dangerous way to live.
Texas Tech has been outscored or played even with opponents 38-38 in first halves this season. Somehow, the Red Raiders are still undefeated.
That says something good about this team’s toughness.
It also screams warning sign.
As Joey McGuire put it after Saturday’s game, there was “some really ugly football at times.”
He’s right.
The Red Raiders can't keep starting this slowly
The most frustrating part is that Texas Tech has enough talent to be better offensively.
Hammond didn't turn the ball over Saturday, which matters. But Colorado repeatedly bothered him with pressure on third down, and the passing game never consistently stretched the Buffaloes.
The offensive line deserves some criticism, too.
This is supposed to be an experienced group, yet Texas Tech was stuffed on consecutive fourth-and-short attempts. When a team with Big 12 championship aspirations needs one yard, its offensive line should be able to create it more often than not.
There were mitigating circumstances.
Thomas Castellanos was unexpectedly unavailable after an appeals court ruling involving his eligibility. His absence took an important piece of the short-yardage and red-zone package away from the Red Raiders.
McGuire acknowledged how much that changed the plan.
“You lose all of the stuff that we're going to do in the red zone (and) quarterback run game,” McGuire said.
Then Cam Dickey went down with what McGuire said is believed to be a high-ankle sprain, although X-rays were negative.
Those losses matter. But championship contenders have to adjust.
Terrance Carter Jr. could be Hammond’s answer
One encouraging development emerged from the offensive mess: Terrance Carter Jr.
Hammond increasingly leaned on his tight end in the second half, and Carter delivered with eight catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.
“Whenever you have a really good tight end like Terrance, he becomes such a security blanket for the quarterback,” McGuire said. “He's one of the best tight ends in the country. He came up big tonight.”
That connection needs to become a major part of the offense.
Carter gives Hammond a big, reliable target, especially when pressure arrives. With the wide receivers struggling to consistently make an impact Saturday, getting Carter involved wasn't merely helpful. It was necessary.
Still, Texas Tech needs more.
Kenny Johnson caught only one pass. Coy Eakin and Micah Hudson combined for three receptions. No Red Raider pass-catcher besides Carter reached 30 receiving yards.
That won't be good enough every week.
Winning ugly only works until it doesn't
The good news is obvious.
Texas Tech is 5-0.
The Red Raiders survived a road conference game, their defense looks capable of changing games by itself, and they now have a bye week before hosting Arizona State on Oct. 17.
This is exactly when the offensive problems need to be addressed.
Texas Tech has spent the opening portion of the season proving it can win when the offense isn't clicking. That's a valuable trait. Great teams find different ways to win.
But great teams also fix their weaknesses before somebody exposes them.
Arizona State won't care that Texas Tech survived Colorado. Neither will Cincinnati or the rest of a Big 12 schedule filled with teams eager to knock off the defending conference champions.
Sooner or later, the Red Raiders are going to face an opponent that doesn't throw four interceptions. They're going to play a team that turns a slow Texas Tech start into a 14- or 17-point deficit.
Then what?
The defense has given this offense time to figure things out.
Texas Tech should use the bye week wisely, because asking that defense to keep saving the day isn't a championship plan.
