As the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Texas Longhorns prepare for battle in Austin this Saturday, its interesting to notice how the two programs are performing versus last year.
The Red Raiders are now 5-3 on the season, with four of those five wins coming against FBS programs. If they stay at their current pace, ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Brad Edwards predicts that Texas Tech will play in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. The Holiday Bowl features teams from the Big 12 and a representative from the Pac-12.
The Longhorns on the other hand are now 5-2 for the year, which equals the amount of wins Texas had in last year's tumultuous 2010 campaign. With two tough losses versus the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas will look to finish 2011 strong. If they stay at their current pace their is a possibility for Mack Brown's squad to play in a New Years' Day bowl game. As predicted by ESPN's Brad Edwards, Texas would face Arkansas. However, Mark Schlabach's prediction is that Texas would face Arizona State in the Alamo.
Regardless of what bowl they play in, it would definitely be an improvement over last season.
For all the news and analysis on Texas football you could possibly want, check out Burnt Orange Nation. For more on Texas Tech, head over to Double T Nation. For the latest odds, spreads and over/unders, be sure to check out our partners at Odds Shark.