Texas Tech at No. 15 in Initial CFP Top 15, Red Raiders Too Low?

LUBBOCK -- In the first reveal of the rankings from the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, Texas Tech came in at No. 15.

The Red Raiders are two spots lower than their place in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls, which saw the team slot at No. 13 on Sunday.

Much of this underwhelming selection can be directly credited to Texas Tech, whether it be overexaggerated by the committee.

Two weekends ago, the unbeaten Red Raiders traveled into uncharted territory to face off with Cincinnati.

The Bearcats proceeded to dominate Texas Tech in a 37-24 shocker that was much more lopsided than the final score indicated.

READ MORE: Ex Red Raiders Star Quickly Becoming NFL Defensive Force

Despite that loss, Texas Tech is coming off a 34-26 win over Arizona, which came in at No. 22 in the CFP's official rankings.

There is another ranked win on the resume of the Red Raiders, as Houston checked at No. 17 with only two losses to Texas Tech and Utah for the Cougars thus far.

Speaking of the Utes, they are the highest ranked team from the conference coming at No. 3, which matched their spot in the AP poll, bolstered by being the lone undefeated team left from the league.

Even with its win against Notre Dame, which was slotted at No. 11, BYU was only able to reach the No. 9 spot, behind several two-loss teams from the SEC.

Following strong performances from its top teams, including the Cougars' win over the Fighting Irish, the Big 12 looked primed to gain more respect from the powers-that-be this time around.

However, some tough falls, such as Tech's loss to the Bearcats in Nippert Stadium and BYU's stunning loss to UCF in the Bounce House, have seemed to push the conference back down to earth.

READ MORE: Five West Virginia Offensive Playmakers Texas Tech Must Stop Saturday

Texas Tech does have a chance to secure its spot in the postseason, with or without the support of the committee, by defending its title within the Big 12.

Getting back to the highest stage in the conference will be easier said than done, however, as even if the Red Raiders run the table, they are not guaranteed a spot in Jerry World.

But Texas Tech has to do its part to even set up the opportunity to make the potentially last-ever Big 12 Championship, which means winning out.

The next step toward that goal will take place Saturday inside the friendly confines of Galaxy Stadium, where West Virginia steps inside to face the Red Raiders in a late-night showdown that gets underway at 8:30 p.m. CT.