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I am writing this at about 9:30 on Wednesday morning. We’re leaving San Antonio around 4 in the morning tomorrow, so by the time you are reading this I’m somewhere on I-35.

On the Hardwood

CBS Sports wrote about the Texas Tech win over Illinois:

You could hear how loud the environment at Texas Tech was by sitting at home with your TV volume on. The atmosphere inside the arena sounded electric. Texas Tech recorded one of the most impressive wins of the season by taking down No. 3 Illinois. A rematch of this game sometime in March would be great when All-Americans on both sides (Illinois’ David Mirkovic and Texas Tech’s JT Toppin) are cleared to play. Nonetheless, Texas Tech should receive a sizeable boost in next week’s AP poll after taking down the No. 3 team in the country. — CS

CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno with power rankings and Texas Tech moved up to No. 4 based off the win over Illinois:

Texas Tech led by as many as 20 points in the first half against No. 3 Illinois at home and walked away with an impressive win. The Red Raiders are a very dangerous team at full strength. The scary part is that Texas Tech still doesn’t have JT Toppin, an All-American-caliber player.

On the Gridiron

Next episode of What’s Next with Robert Giovannetti and head coach Joey McGuire:

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Nathan Giese on the tall task of taking on Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker:

Communication breakdowns and “bad eyes” have been the stated reasons for Tech’s inability to defend the pass, giving up 287.0 yards per game (ranked 136th out of 138 in the country). Those will be put to the test against Mestemaker.

“He’s really good,” co-defensive coordinator Shiel Wood said. “He’s got a great arm. He’s got great pocket awareness. He sees down the field. The rush does not bother him at all. He’s able to go through his whole progression and just move from one to the next to the next.”

Texas Tech football moved up to No. 12 in the college football playoff rankings.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams on how Mack Leftwich got his break from Eric Morris:

“That was kind of my connection,” Leftwich said, “because I didn’t know coach Morris at all. And at the time he was living with coach Kirkland, who lived right down the street from me, so I was still coaching at the high school and I was over there at his house every night trying to get in front of coach Morris and watch film with him and basically beg for an opportunity.”