Texas Tech picked fourth in Big 12 preseason poll

Texas Tech Football vs OU Photo by John Altman

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech will enter its second season under head coach Joey McGuire picked to finish fourth overall, according to the Big 12 preseason poll of media members that was announced Thursday by the conference office.

The preseason nod is the highest Texas Tech has been slotted by the media prior to a season since the Big 12 moved to a division-less format in 2011. Texas Tech received four first-place votes from the media, finishing fourth with 729 points behind only league favorite Texas (886 points), Kansas State (858 points) and Oklahoma (758 points).

Six different league schools received at least one first-place vote in the poll as Texas led the way with 41, while K-State gathered 14 and both Oklahoma and Texas Tech had four each. TCU was fifth in the preseason poll, only two points back of Texas Tech with 727 after receiving three first-place votes. Oklahoma State, picked to finish seventh overall, was the final school collecting a first-place vote.

This is the Big 12’s first season with four new members in BYU, Houston, Cincinnati and UCF. The Knights were the highest vote-getter of that group in eighth place, while BYU was 11th, Houston was 12th and Cincinnati was 13th in what should be a competitive conference race.

The announcement of the preseason poll follows the release of the All-Big 12 preseason team that was unveiled Wednesday, featuring Texas Tech sophomore wide receiver Jerand Bradley and super senior defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings. Additional preseason accolades and watch lists will be announced in the coming weeks ahead of Texas Tech’s Sept. 2 season opener at Wyoming.

BIG 12 FOOTBALL MEDIA PRESEASON POLL

1. Texas (41) – 886

2. Kansas State (14) – 858

3. Oklahoma (4) – 758

4. Texas Tech (4) – 729

5. TCU (3) – 727

6. Baylor – 572

7. Oklahoma State (1) – 470

8. UCF – 463

9. Kansas – 461

10. Iowa State – 334

11. BYU – 318