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The Red Raider football team had some starters out last week for unspecified reasons. Those absences are likely due to COVID-19, whether that's contact tracing or a positive case.

This week heading into the game against the Texas Longhorns, the Red Raiders will test several times in preparation for the game. Last week during the bye week, the Red Raiders tested 150 people and got zero positive results.

The Texas Tech athletics department currently has 13 active cases, but none of those are in the football program. The Red Raiders football team assessed 435 tests between September 13th and 18th and had zero positive results in those tests.

The rest of the athletic department has had 18 student-athletes and/or staff test positive for the coronavirus in the past seven days, and all 18 cases are currently active.

The Red Raiders play the Texas Longhorns this weekend. That team hasn't had a positive case since March 1st.

"I hate to even talk about it because I don’t want to jinx it," Longhorns head coach Tom Herman said in his weekly press conference. "We could certainly be next, and I don’t know that anybody has a secret formula, I think our guys are really, really bought in. I think they understand the diligence that’s necessary."

"Our guys have, again, continued to be diligent, and they understand in order for us to have a successful season, they’re going to have to go above and beyond this year," Herman added.

The Longhorns coach also said that on their way to Lubbock they'll be spread out strategically, because if there is a positive case after the plane ride, the row behind and in front of the positive case would be quarantined due to contract tracing.

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