The early portion of the college football season has its share of schedule testing grounds, but this is the time of year when the docket of opponents starts to sort out the truly strong teams from those who don't quite meet muster.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are a club that is about to go through that kind of test. As of this moment, they are a top-10 team with a 7-0 record highlighted by a 4-0 Big 12 mark that has the team in first place in the conference.
Impressive as that start is, the beginning of the Red Raiders schedule pales in comparison to the last five games, including three matchups against teams currently listed in the top 20 (at No. 15 Oklahoma, versus No. 19 Oklahoma State and versus No. 8 Baylor).
Texas Tech's offense will also have to be hitting on all cylinders during this stretch, as each of their upcoming opponents has averaged 30 or more points per game in contests against BCS conference-caliber competition so far this year.
Offensive prowess is the Red Raiders' specialty but will they be able to keep up that kind of pace while being led by a true freshman quarterback?
The metrics and game tape review have a lot to say about this, and their conclusion might not sit well in Lubbock.
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