Texas Tech Will Face the Gophers Without Coach Tommy Tuberville Who Leaves for Cincinnati

Cincy hired away Tech's Tommy Tuberville, which may not have upset many of the Tech faithful. Regardless of how they feel, this should have an impact on the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

A Texas Tech official said the school was "completely blindsided" by the decision.

Tuberville was 20-17 in three seasons at Texas Tech, going 7-5 this season to reach the Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. Minnesota. The Red Raiders started the season 6-1 but lost four of their final five games.

The 58-year-old has a career record of 130-77.

And be sure to check out Viva the Matadors where there is about 1,000 comments on the move.

It’s the end of an era. Finally. I am in shock. I think I’ve texted that to friends a handful of times already today. Like a lot of you, I was resigned to former Texas Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville finishing out 2013 at Texas Tech and then athletic director Kirby Hocutt making a decision about what to do with Tuberville after 2013.

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I think what Tuberville craves more than anything else is security. In some respect that's good. It's good that he's providing some security for some of his coaches, but it's not a way to run a successful football program.

Tech had a good year but the base seemed to unhappy with mediocrity (sound familiar?). I appears to me that Tuberville is getting out while the getting is good.