No. 12 Texas Tech ready for familiar faces this evening vs. ACU - fox34.com

Ranked No. 12 in the country, Texas Tech opens its 2025 season tonight against Abilene Christian with quarterback Will Hammond back under center, 315 days after tearing his ACL against Oklahoma State.

That injury ended Hammond's 2024 season early, and Tech's last game against ACU was no comfortable tune-up either. The Red Raiders needed overtime to escape with a 52-51 win in 2024, so there is history between these two programs that gives tonight a little extra edge beyond a typical non-conference opener.

Hammond described returning to the field as a dream he had been working toward since the moment he went down. "It feels great to be 100 percent," he said. "It feels great to be back out there with the guys and not worried about any of the offseason things and just being able to go out there and play." He reflected on his first two season openers and what it means to line up for a third.

For people here who pack Jones AT&T Stadium on fall Saturdays, tonight is more than just the first game on the schedule. It is the first real look at how this offense runs through Hammond after months of camp reports and spring speculation.

Hammond has waited 315 days for this snap.