The 1988 Texas Tech Red Raiders football season ended with a 5-6 record, failing to achieve the program’s third consecutive winning year. The team’s performance included several disappointing losses and a handful of notable wins, offering a mixed review of their efforts that year.
The season began with a home loss to North Texas, marking the only time Texas Tech has lost to an FCS opponent. This was followed by another defeat against Arizona. Despite the rough start, the Red Raiders started Southwest Conference play strong by defeating Baylor, holding them to just two rushing yards.
However, Texas Tech struggled against top conference teams, suffering significant losses to both Texas A&M and Arkansas. The team then managed a win over Rice and sparked a four-game winning streak that included victories over TCU and Lamar. One highlight was a comeback victory against the Texas Longhorns after trailing by 17 points entering the fourth quarter.
Despite being in position for a bowl game late in the season, special teams issues contributed to close losses down the stretch—particularly in games against Houston and Oklahoma State. In their final contest held in Tokyo against Oklahoma State, Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Barry Sanders rushed for 257 yards and led his team to victory just hours after receiving the Heisman Trophy.
Texas Tech’s four conference wins came against lower-ranked opponents within the Southwest Conference while late-season failures cost them postseason hopes. The article suggests that while 1988 was disappointing for supporters, improvement would come in subsequent seasons.
There are no direct quotations or statements attributed to individuals within this account of events.
