Sports Illustrated considers the “brand” of every Power Five team, plus, SB Nation’s Bill Connelly is optimistic about Texas Tech’s prospects in 2015.

Photo via Charles Henry @ Flickr.

Football

Connelly Previews Texas Tech. SB Nation’s Bill Connelly has his yearly extensive preview of Texas Tech and the entire thing is very much worth your time. The end idea here is that Connelly is optimisitc about the end result ofr Texas Tech:

I’m leaning toward the optimist’s point of view. Tech had poor injuries luck and turnovers luck, and while there’s nothing saying luck will shift, the Red Raiders have extra depth because of the injuries and should force plenty of takeaway opportunities in Gibbs’ system.

If nothing else changes but turnover margin, Tech could be bowling again. If actual quality improves as well, Tech will be bowling again.

After yesterday’s post about the defense I’m starting to become a tad bit optimistic.

15 through 11. DMN’s Tommy Magelssen continues his rankings of the top 25 players and it is 15 through 11, which includes Baylen Brown, Keenon Ward, Devin Lauderdale, Micah Awe and Justis Nelson. Make sure and visit for the analysis.

Branding. SI’s Andy Staples has an interesting look at the brand of each team as well as what the brand should be. It’s an interesting look about each team, including Texas Tech, where maybe the brand is “Coach Bro” but Staples acknowledges that this isn’t what it should be and this is something that Kingsbury is moving away from.

The brand: The team with the GQ coach.

What it should be: This is not what coach Kliff Kingsbury wants for his team. The “Our coach is hotter than your coach” shirts make him squirm. Kingsbury understands positive publicity is good for recruiting, but at heart he’s an Xs and Os nerd who knows the best recruiting tool is winning. Kingsbury is an Air Raid guy, and he’ll succeed or fail with that offense. What he wants most is to recreate the kind of Texas Tech teams he played for. They threw a ton, but they were also tough. Teams that came to Lubbock expecting a less physical game against a pass-happy team got shocked. Kingsbury has yet to replicate that, but it remains the goal.

If you want to waste an hour or two, this is a good place to go.

Miscellaneous. 24/7 Sports’ Barton Simmons has a preview of the Elite 11 Finals that are happening this weekend. Texas Tech commit Jett Duffey is sorta the last guy mentioned and an under-dog.

Big 12 Expansion

Northern Illinois and Houston Anyone? The Land Grant Gauntlet’s Chris Ross wonders if adding Northern Illinois and Houston would move the needle for Big 12 additions.