Not weird, like Baylor or A&M; not fake, like TCU. Hard to find someone who hates them, even if they’re not anyone’s favorite.

Add to that factors like money (Lubbock is oil country) and playing time (why ride pine somewhere when you could start at TTU) and you have a recipe for a school that’s going to do very well in the NIL and transfer portal era.

For what it’s worth, I also expect SMU to do very well. They have tons of money, and one of the prime CFB locations. Easy to recruit there (although my understanding is that they’re intentionally being less aggressive in the transfer portal and focusing on retaining and developing the guys they already have)