No. 24 Texas Opens Big 12 Play Against No. 17 Texas Tech

The Longhorns look to start conference play on the right note against the Red Raiders.

Big 12 conference play is officially here, folks. The Texas Longhorns (7-5) are starting on the road this weekend against a perennial contender for the conference crown, the Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-2). 

These two teams find themselves entering this weekend's conference series on drastically different trajectories. The Red Raiders are absolutely rolling, firing on all cylinders and mowing down opponents en route to a dominant seven-game winning streak.

Meanwhile, the Longhorns are struggling mightily. They lost three straight games in Houston, each more heartbreaking than the last, and then returned home only to get blown out by their rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies. 

Life in conference play is always difficult, but Texas has a chance to shake its four-game losing skid and get back in the win column. 

© Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

How to watch/listen: 

Game 1: Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT (ESPN+/Longhorn Radio Network)

Game 2: Saturday at 2 p.m. CT (ESPN+/Longhorn Radio Network)

Game 3: Sunday at 2 p.m. CT (ESPN+/Longhorn Radio Network)

Texas Tech by the numbers: 

Record: 10-2

Runs scored: 163

Runs allowed: 64

Team Avg.: .364

Team Avg. Allowed: .281

Team ERA: 5.01

Texas Tech wins this series if...

It can take advantage of a Longhorns' pitching staff that has shown signs of excellence so far this season but overall has been inconsistent. Boasting one of the best lineups in the nation, the Red Raiders have hitters in spots 1-9 that can and will punish any mistakes they see.

Which Texas pitching staff shows up this weekend will, of course, determine just how successful they are at doing so. Don't get us wrong, Texas Tech will put up runs and hits. The question, though, is how good will Texas' pitchers be? 

If the lineup continues raking and takes advantage of a shaky pitchings staff, look for the Red Raiders to start conference play strong.

Texas wins this series if...

It can finally get complementary baseball in all three games. In their losses so far this season the Longhorns have had one overarching issue. When the lineup rakes, the pitching staff crumbles and allows runs in bunches. On the other hand when the starter and bullpen shut down the opposing lineup, the bats go cold.

Suffice to say, they can't seem to get both halves of the game going at once. The potential is there for both to be among the best in the conference, with the offense showing they can put up 10+ runs and the pitching staff holding their own for as long as they can against some of the nation's best lineups so far. 

Silencing the Red Raiders' bats won't be easy, and there's no telling which lineup will show up. If they can get strong showings from both, however, they'll like their chances in this series.

Longhorns Notebook: No. 24 Texas Outmatched, Falls to No. 7 Texas A&M 9-2