Big 12 football: Assessing the win total projections for all 16 teams (it’s Texas Tech’s title to lose … or maybe not) - The Mercury News

The Mercury News analyzed projections for all 16 conference teams, placing the Red Raiders at the very top. Our team now sits ahead of several traditional powerhouses and the league's new additions. This suggests a notable confidence in the program, a level not seen this prominently in recent memory.

Football season here means everything, from game day traffic clogging Marsha Sharp Freeway to packed tailgates firing up west of Jones AT&T Stadium. These projections will fuel conversations at every coffee shop on University Avenue and around water coolers across the Tech Terrace neighborhood. It's a huge statement for a program always aiming to compete for conference titles.

For Red Raider fans heading to the stadium this fall, this news means sky-high expectations for Joey McGuire's squad. The pressure is on the team to deliver on this promise, especially after showing flashes of brilliance in recent seasons. It truly sets the stage for a year that could be historic, or a tough pill to swallow if the team falls short.

Only one other Big 12 team even hit double digits in their projected win totals, making Tech's top spot a significant outlier.