During the Border Conference days, Texas Tech was to Arizona what Arizona was to New Mexico. The Wildcats and Red Raiders met for the first time in 1932 as conference opponents and Arizona was shut out 21-0, setting the tone for things to come. The Wildcats won the 1935 matchup in Lubbock and tied the 1936 matchup in Tucson before losing the next 15 games to the Red Raiders from 1937-58.
Arizona didn't win its next game over Texas Tech until 1959 in the second half of a home-and-home in Tucson. By this point, the Red Raiders were two seasons into Southwest Conference membership and the Wildcats had amassed a laughable 2-18-1 record. Ever the suckers for pain, Arizona and Texas Tech played again every year from 1971-79 after a short hiatus, where Arizona won a game in 1975 and tied the 1979 matchup but lost the eight others.
After another hiatus, the two teams split the home-and-home in 1989-90, each winning in front of their familiar fans. The only recent matchup was in 2019 when the Red Raiders visited Tucson and Arizona pulled off a 28-14 win. With Texas Tech on the slate for the 2024 season, expect this rivalry to be renewed and given new life as Arizona looks to prove they can contend in the new-look Big 12 and Texas Tech hopes for a Behren Morton breakout season.