2005 Texas Tech Red Raiders Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

The Texas Tech Red Raiders entered 2004 with an ever-increasing positive sports handicapping reputation as a “sleeper” on the lists of football picks for many sports bettors. The Red Raiders began a streak against the odds in their final seven games of 2001 that carried through the 2003 season in which they went 22-12 against the sports betting line to quietly emerge as one of the more profitable teams in college football. The best explanation to the Red Raiders being such a great sports handicapping value during that span is due to the fact that they play in the Big 12 South Division, which includes traditional “name brand” college football programs Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M. Those three teams consistently appear on the lists of football picks for the general sports betting public which allows a solid program like Texas Tech to pick up increasing sports handicapping value since they so often get overlooked and passed over for the “name brand” teams. To the more professional and sharp members of the sports handicapping community, however, the Red Raiders were no secret. In fact, the general sports betting public was becoming more aware of the Red Raiders, which set up a potential sports handicapping market correction for 2004.

Sure enough, Texas Tech was clearly overpriced in their 2004 season opener at struggling SMU. The Red Raiders were installed as 24.5-point chalks by the sports betting odds makers and the online sports betting blogs were full of ridiculous and obnoxious posts stating that Texas Tech could “name the score” and that the sports betting line on Tech would be a bargain, regardless of how high. This is an outstanding example of how intellectual incest and a herd mentality often develops in the sports handicapping community. This game was considered a fait accompli but SMU got the cash in a 13-27 loss to the Raiders. The next time something on the online sports betting board appears to be “automatic” or a “sure thing” this game would be one to remember as a sports handicapping lesson on value. The

Texas Tech ended up covering just one of their first four games against the odds before rallying to beat the sports betting line in three of their next four games. They then dropped three of their next four against the sports betting line before entering the Holiday Bowl as 11-point dogs against Cal. Texas Tech hardly got any attention in the hype leading up to this game and was now written off as sure losers. The Raiders provided another great sports handicapping lesson on herd mentalities with a 45-31 upset win.