What: Texas Tech Red Raiders at No. 24 Oklahoma State Cowboys

When: 7:30 PM ET, September 25, 2014

Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK

TV Schedule: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN

Where They Stand:
Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-1, 0-0 Big 12)
No. 24 Oklahoma State Cowboys (-13.5)(2-1, 0-0 Big 12)

No. 24 Oklahoma State and Texas Tech kick off their Big 12 schedule against one another as game one of this week’s Thursday Night Football double header.

This is a situation that the Cowboys didn't expect to find themselves in until 2015 the earliest, as they sit at No. 24 in the country. Oklahoma State lost 17 starters and 33 letterwinners from 2013’s 10-3 squad and athletic director Mike Holder didn't hold back his surprise when asked about the team’s success.

"From my perspective, I had some reservations about this season," Holder said. ”A lot of youth, and you wonder where your leadership's going to come from. I knew we had some good athletes, but you really don't know how that translates into big-time football players."

The young Cowboy team had their first test right off the bat with No. 1 Florida State and gave the Seminoles all they could handle before falling 37-31.

"You couldn't have put them on a bigger stage, in a better environment," Holder said. "And it kind of tests their mettle. And I think we passed every test with flying colors except the final score.”

Texas Tech on the other hand is lucky to be 2-1 after wins against Central Arkansas and Texas-El Paso by 11 points combined. The Red Raiders also dropped a winnable game at home against Arkansas 49-28.

The Red Raiders hold a 21-17-3 record over the Cowboys, but Oklahoma State has won the last five games and has won 24 in a row at home against unranked opponents.

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