IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Oct 17, 2026 6:30 PM
A look in and around Galaxy Stadium as the No. 10 Red Raiders exit the bye week with a big Big 12 affair in Lubbock.
LUBBOCK -- "I missed the smell of Lubbock!" a fan said to me in the shadows of Galaxy Stadium leading up to No. 10 Texas Tech's homecoming matchup with Arizona State on Saturday.
Of course, only fans of a certain innocence know of the stadium as anything other than The Jones, but alas, Red Raiders of all generations have descended upon West Texas for Texas Tech's first home game in two weeks.
The crisp autumn air has rolled into town, and with that, so too has that familiar smell of game-day hot dogs grilling at the tailgate scene since as early as 7:30 a.m. this morning.
The Red Raiders remain undefeated at 5-0 since the win at Colorado on Oct. 3, so an anticipatory buzz adds energy around homecoming festivities with Texas Tech once again contending in the Big 12.
In addition to the 2:30 p.m. kickoff, Texas Tech hosted the annual homecoming bonfire and concert at Urbanovsky Park on campus Friday night, former Red Raider football player and rising country artist Haydon Wiginton is performing the Red Raider Alley pregame concert, and earlier in the weekend, Tech invited back the 1976 Southwest Conference championship team to commemorate the team's 50-year anniversary.
The game between the Red Raiders and Sun Devils could also have conference championship implications.
The last two conference champions ironically beat one another to spark the other's run to the trophy in Arlington. Tech beat ASU 30-22 here in Lubbock in 2024 before the Sun Devils rode star running back Cam Skattebo to a conference title. Last year, Arizona State spoiled the Red Raiders' undefeated regular-season bid before Texas Tech claimed its first Big 12 title last December.
A similar scenario presents itself for ASU on Saturday, but Tech head coach Joey McGuire is hoping the time off allowed for schematic adjustments and better health.
McGuire expecting physicality vs. Arizona State
"If you look at the last two games we've played, we're 1-1 against Arizona State. Both have come down to the wire. They've been really physical games, so we're expecting that," McGuire said about the matchup with the Sun Devils.
"That's our goal, to stay undefeated and that puts us in a good position. It's going to be great football."
The fifth-year coach was also candid about the team's shortcomings thus far, although he was not excited to be discussing them again.
"I don't even want to say this word. I'm going to try to never use it again except maybe this moment, the negative is our self-inflicted wounds in the first half."
While McGuire is expecting on being tested one way or another, he is also expecting to see his team reach a turning point in front of another sell-out crowd.
"The good things I think we have [are] some really good, efficient runs that we're going to be able to hang our hats on. And then I do think we're trending in a good direction defensively ... we are causing turnovers; that needs to continue," he said.
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