A Sports Enthusiast’s Guide to Raiderland

By: Eric Launer

Its’ mid-August here in West Texas and Texas Tech has already started fall practice, high schools across the area have started two-a-days, and Hard Knocks on HBO recently premiered. Football is right around the corner and we here in Lubbock couldn’t be more pumped about it! Football will always reign king here in the “Hub City”. With that being said, we have plenty of great options to watch the game (Just don’t ask any of them to turn on that school down in Austin’s game. I think there are plenty of places in the southeastern United States that can oblige their request). Take a look below for a few of my favorite go-to spots when looking to catch a Red Raider game over a good plate of food and delicious drinks.

2 Locations 34^th & Indiana and 82^nd & Slide

The OG of Lubbock Sports Bars. Caprock Café is one of the best restaurants in town to cheer on our favorite team. Good things usually happen when you mix the coldest beer in town, the best burgers and queso in West Texas, and huge HD projector screens to watch the game. Caprock does a great job of blending each to create a perfect game day atmosphere. Some say having an ice-cold schooner of Shiner Bock with a queso bacon burger on a Saturday in the fall is heaven on earth (I’d have to agree).

Across from Texas Tech Campus

One of the best parts about college football and what makes it so unique is the buzz that goes through town and campus leading up to the big game. There is no location in Lubbock that you can you feel that more than on Broadway, right across from the Texas Tech’s Campus. Broadway staples include Chimy’s, Local, Mesquites, Atomic Pizza Kitchen, Raider Bar, Fuzzy’s, and Bier Haus. Each offer a great location to either watch the game or celebrate after a Red Raider W.

502 Texas Avenue

Want a place that mixes awesome craft beer, Tech Sports, food trucks, and one of the most unique patio settings in the “Hub City”? Two Docs Brewing Co. is your spot. In my opinion, nowhere in the state has better fall weather than Lubbock, Texas and enjoying the cool breeze while sitting on the Two Docs patio sipping on a Chilton Gose and watching the Tech football game is a pretty dang good day in my book.

Let’s be honest, the best place to watch a Tech game is at the Jones AT&T Stadium to experience it all for yourself. The pageantry of college football is unlike any other, and seeing The Masked Rider take off down the filed on Fearless Champion is a sight to be seen. Now, before attending the game, you’ll need to go to a few tailgates to get you in the game day mood.

Campus tailgating is on a different level. For the full experience, you’ll need to venture to the various spots for the full experience. Some of best tailgate’s scenes on campus include Raider Alley, TTU Alumni Tailgate at Frazier Pavilion, Rawls College of Business Lot, West Lot, and the RV scene over at the United Supermarkets Arena.

Now that you have got your tailgating in, it’s time to head over to the Jones to enjoy some Power 5 college football. Every ticket in the stadium is a great seat, but some of my favorite sections include Section 1 (Right next to the student section) Section 5 (West Side 50 Yard Line) and the Lodge seating section in the North Stadium Club level. No matter where you decide to sit, I have no doubt you are going to have a memorable time!  I might be biased, but I believe there is truly nothing like a fall Saturday night inside the Jones. It’s one of the most special places in the world and will give you an experience you’ll never forget.