There’s something unique about a college football Saturday in Lubbock.
Out on the South Plains, Texas Tech has built a game-day experience that is unmistakably its own — loud, proud and deeply connected to the place the Red Raiders call home.
The excitement starts well before kickoff, when the streets and sidewalks around campus begin filling with fans in scarlet and black. Families, students, alumni and visitors come together, turning the campus into a celebration of Red Raiders football.
It’s hard to appreciate the scale of it until you’re in the middle of it.
Music spills across campus. Tailgates fill the parking lots. And by the time kickoff approaches, scarlet and black stretch as far as you can see.
That passion carries into Galaxy Stadium, where the energy builds toward one of college football’s most distinctive entrances — and a crowd ready to make its voice heard.
Whether you’re a lifelong Red Raider or making your first trip to Lubbock, here are five experiences that belong on every Texas Tech football fan’s bucket list:
Experience Raider Alley
Head to Raider Alley for the heart of Texas Tech’s pregame scene. Fans gather starting four hours before kickoff to celebrate with music, food and plenty of Guns Up spirit. It’s the ideal place to soak in the pregame atmosphere before heading into Galaxy Stadium.
Welcome the Red Raiders at Raider Walk
Get to campus early and line Drive of Champions to welcome the Red Raiders as they make their way to Galaxy Stadium. Raider Walk also includes the Saddle Tramps and Texas Tech spirit programs, helping provide a high-energy start to fall Saturdays.
Take in the Masked Rider
No Texas Tech game-day experience is complete without seeing the Masked Rider, one of college football’s most iconic mascots. The Masked Rider leads the Red Raiders onto the field atop a black horse in what is considered one of the sport’s most dramatic entrances.
Do the Guns Up
You can’t spend a Saturday in Lubbock without learning the Guns Up hand signal. Raise your index and pinky fingers, tuck the other fingers down and throw your Guns Up alongside thousands of Red Raiders. It’s the universal sign of Texas Tech pride.
Hear the Victory Bells
After every Texas Tech victory, fans gather at the Victory Bells near the center of campus to celebrate. The bells have become one of the most recognizable symbols of Red Raiders football, and joining the celebration after a win is a must on game days in Lubbock.
READ MORE: From chants to customs: Every Big 12 school’s most iconic football traditions
Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.