At the Net
Texas Tech volleyball defeated Arizona 3-0 yesterday evening and this may have been the best match they’ve played all year and is now their 2nd win in a row. Congrats on the win and hte hard work to get to this point.
On the Pitch
Texas Tech soccer hosts UCF for the final conference game of the season and will need help from Colorado, TCU and West Virginia.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
MATCHUP: No. 15/6 Texas Tech (13-2-2, 7-1-2 Big 12) vs. UCF (11-2-4, 5-1-4 Big 12)
DATE: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025
TIME: 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Lubbock, Texas (John Walker Soccer Complex)
WATCH: ESPN
On the Hardwood
The Big 12 released their preseason media poll and Texas Tech is picked to finish 13th:
1. TCU
2. Iowa State
3. Baylor
4. Oklahoma State
5. West Virginia
6. Kansas State
7. Kansas
8. Utah
9. Colorado
10. BYU
11. Arizona State
12. Cincinnati
13. Texas Tech
14. Arizona
15. UCF
16. Houston
CBS Sports’ David Cobb has their preseason Top 25 And 1 coach rankings with Grant McCasland at No. 18:
McCasland’s professional ascent reached new heights last season as Texas Tech made the Elite Eight in his second season before dropping a thriller to eventual national champion Florida. The Red Raiders are poised to compete for a Big 12 title and Final Four spot this season with core pieces Christian Anderson and JT Toppin returning from a 28-win team. (N/A)
ESPN with a college basketball mega preview and predictions from the various ESPN basketball writers (Jeff Borzello, Joe Lunardi and Myron Medcalf). Lots of basketball content if you are a college basketball junkie.
Texas Tech basketball with the story of LeJuan Watts, who lost his father from a heart attack in 7th grade and his mother from lymphoma when he was a sophomore in high school. I’d encourage you to read the whole thing.
Rachel Watts raised a family of five and worked at a dentist’s office despite prolonged health issues that began when she was only 18 years old. She had heart problems and cancer. More defining, she was an incredible mother. LeJuan recalls her always being at his games growing up and seeing her cheering in the stands. She kept the family together after Walter Watts III passed away and never showed weakness despite her own struggles. She was in failing health but made it her mission to always show love and provide for her children. “She was our leader even though she struggled with her health for a long time,” LeJuan says. “Her legs would swell up but she still went to work. She had a pacemaker and went to the hospital a lot. I remember seeing her feet being so swollen that they came out of her shoes. It was really sad but I remember being so proud of how tough she was. She loved all of us so much and loved being around family. She was the glue for all of us.”
“Big Walt” played basketball at Utah and helped lead the Utes to the 1991 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 – averaging 10.4 points and 7.0 rebounds during his senior season. A larger-than-life presence, he was recruited to play football as a 6-foot-8, 300-pound offensive lineman and also pitched at the rookie level for the Minnesota Twins organization. In the 1990-91 season, Walter earned All-WAC honors and recorded a pair of double-doubles in the NCAA Tournament in wins over South Alabama and Michigan State before a loss to UNLV in the Sweet 16 ended their season. “I always hear that he was a guy who played hard,” LeJuan says. “He was a bigger dude who gave it all he had every game. I’ve watched clips of him diving out of bounds to save a ball. It’s how I try to play. Play hard like my dad did.” After playing three seasons of college basketball, Walter participated in training camp for the Utah Jazz and also spent time in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders before starting his own soul food restaurant on Blackstone Avenue in Fresno, California where they served ribs, fish, fried chicken, burgers, pulled pork, tri-tip and hot links.
On the Gridiron
ESPN’s Mel Kiper has his updated big board with David Bailey at No. 13 overall, Terrance Carter, Jr. as the No. 8 H-back, Lee Hunter as the No. 3 defensive tackle, Bailey as the No. 2 outside linebacker and Romello Height as the No. 5 outside linebacker.
ESPN’s Craig Haubert, Eli Lederman and Tom Luginbill with updated 2026 recruiting rankings and what teams are doing:
LaDamion Guyton, OLB | Texas Tech commit
New rank: No. 13 (was in Class of 2027). Texas Tech is flexing its pass-rushing muscles this season with a top-10 national ranking in team sacks. The Red Raiders’ primary pass rusher, transfer David Bailey, has led the charge, but they already have a promising successor lined up in 2026. A Georgia native, Guyton spurned several southeastern programs to commit to Tech, then reclassified from the 2027 to 2026 class. While he won’t bring Bailey’s experience, Guyton shows burst, power, bend, violent hands and a relentless motor. Those traits could make him the next disruptive force off the edge in Lubbock. — Haubert
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams has an article about Matt Wells’ buyout and how it is completed. I am not too interested in this for whatever reason (I am linking to it in case you are). I think Wells is a good guy, but he wasn’t the right guy for Texas Tech.
The Big 12 availability report for Texas Tech:
OUT
DL #0 Skyler Gill-Howard
WR #4 T.J. West
QB #15 Will Hammond
WR #18 Roy Alexander
OL #57 Hunter Zambrano
WR #85 Bryson Jones
QUESTIONABLE
CB #20 Dontae Balfour
OL #76 Will Jados
PROBABLE
QB #2 Behren Morton
TE #7 Terrance Carter Jr.
S #25 Chapman Lewis