Breaking down Texas Tech's Big 12 schedule including finale against Kansas

The Big 12 Conference released the schedule for this season's matchups. Here's how the schedule breaks down for the reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Texas Tech begins the Big 12 slate with back-to-back home games inside the United Supermarkets Arena. The opener will take place on Saturday, Jan. 4 with Oklahoma State. Baylor visits Lubbock the following Tuesday, Jan. 7, for an 8 p.m. tipoff.

The Cowboys are coming off of a 12-20 overall record this past season. The Pokes went 5-13 in conference play and failed to pick up a win in two contests agains the Red Raiders.

The Baylor Bears on the other hand went 20-14 last season with a win over Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament opening round. Gonzaga took them down in the second round – which the Red Raiders handled en route to a NCAA Championship game berth.

The Jayhawks are looking to bounce back this season and grab the conference title once again after the Wildcats and Red Raiders dethroned the blue blood program from the top of the ranking.

Texas Tech will travel to Manhattan, Kansas, on Jan. 14 for the first battle between the two programs on the year. Also worth noting that the action will be televised on Big 12 Now, which is part of the ESPN+ subscription.

Texas Tech won't see Kansas until the two meet on Feb. 1 in Lawrence for a Saturday afternoon contest.

The Wildcats travel to Lubbock on Feb. 19 for a Wednesday night matchup to round out that series.

The Jayhawks will visit Lubbock on March 7 to close out the regular season... Sign everyone up for that matchup.

Here's a quick hit on how the Jayhawks look this season:

- Kansas will be looking to grab the Big 12 title back with the help of a veteran lineup. Udoka Azubuike makes his return after flirting with the NBA this past offseason. He was also sidelined last year except for nine games as he dealt with wrist injury. Senior forward Mitch Lightfoot will return as well and the Jayhawks went out and added Iowa grad transfer guard Isaiah Moss, who shot 42 percent from beyond the arc last season. Mixing in young rising star Devon Dotson to the mix makes this team capable of resurrecting the long-tenured streak of winning the conference title.

- Silvio de Sousa is eligible this upcoming year. Check out all the drama from the past year with his appeal HERE, presented by Forbes.

- Kansas' 2019-20 recruiting class ranks at No. 15, which only helps them in their case to be in the top 10 of the rankings. ESPN recently ranked the Jayhawks at No. 2 in the nation in its "Way-Too-Early" rankings. Check out the full list HERE.

Spoiler alert: Texas Tech comes in at No. 12 on that list.

Texas Tech will close the year with two home games and one road game.

The first of the last three games will take place on Feb. 29 at 11 a.m. when the Texas Longhorns visit the Hub City.

March 2 is the final road game of the year when Texas Tech travels to Waco to take on Baylor on Big Monday at 8 p.m.

The final contest of the year – Kansas at Texas Tech on March 7 in a Saturday afternoon contest that could well determine seedings, rankings and the Big 12 champion.

Oklahoma State will host Texas Tech at noon on Saturday, Feb. 15 in a game that will be televised on CBS.

Three Red Raider contests will be aired on the Big 12 Now network with the first being the previously mentioned game at Kansas State. Texas Tech will take on TCU in Fort Worth on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The Red Raiders will host the West Virginia Mountaineers on Jan. 29, which is a Wednesday. Those three will be utilizing the Big 12 Now network on ESPN+.

Another Big Monday awaits in Lubbock when TCU takes on Texas Tech on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. That is one of two contests on a Monday for the Red Raiders.

Bold indicates home game.

* Big 12 Now on ESPN+

** Big Monday

*** Big 12-SEC Challenge