If you’re like me, meaning you cut your teeth on Southwest Conference football, Texas Tech has been little more than an afterthought through the years.

The Red Raiders’ also-ran status probably came due to their history with the Razorbacks. Best I can tell, Arkansas first played Texas Tech in 1957, winning that game 47-26.

The Hogs went on to win nine consecutive times before losing one to the Red Raiders, and by the time Lou Holtz got to Arkansas in 1977, the Razorbacks led the series 16-4. Between then and the end of the series in 1991, Arkansas stretched the advantage to 28-7.

The end of the series coincided with Arkansas’ move to the SEC, and as we all know, the Razorbacks got treated like the Red Raiders there for quite some time. It wasn’t fun for anyone wearing cardinal and white.

These days Arkansas has earned its place as a respected member of the SEC, while Texas Tech is making even more noise — this season, at least — in the Big 12. This is more than just a quick primer on Arkansas and one of its old opponents, though.

With Arkansas coming off yet another disheartening loss and facing a bye week before trying to salvage its season — at least temporarily — at Mississippi State, Hog fans might actually be encouraged by looking to Texas Tech. Anyone who watched the Red Raiders knock off Texas and dominate Oklahoma State in the past nine days knows Texas Tech is legit.

What does that have to do with Arkansas ? Plenty, if you think about it.

For starters, Texas Tech is perceived in many corners to be working at a disadvantage in a Big 12 South Division that includes Oklahoma and Texas. Traditionally, even Texas A&M has had more success than Texas Tech.

Sound familiar ? Think Arkansas, then think Alabama, LSU and Auburn.

Texas Tech, like Arkansas, also is in somewhat of an isolated location — Lubbock, Texas. Fayetteville might be one of the greatest places on earth, but one thing it’s not is geographically in tune with the rest of the SEC.

The Red Raiders also are led by a coach associated first and foremost with his high-octane offensive philosophy. It would take someone with a higher football IQ than me to tell you if Mike Leach and Bobby Petrino inhabit the same football family tree, but there’s no doubt they’re in the same neck of the woods when it comes to finding innovative and effective ways to move the football.

This is the point, of course, at which someone with even an average football IQ will be quick to point out that Leach has one tremendous built-in advantage over Petrino. Leach coaches in Texas, after all, and therefore has greater access to one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country.

That much is true. There’s really no getting around it.

It’s hard to believe, though, after what we saw when Petrino was hired last year — and what his system has shown glimpses of this season — that he’ll have a hard time finding quality players who want to play for him.

Don’t take my word for it. Go ask Joe Adams or Elton Ford, Jerico Nelson or Zach Stadther, Tramain Thomas or Tyler Wilson.

Texas Tech’s national championship hopes could easily get crumbled this week at Oklahoma. The Red Raiders still have an awful lot of work to do to pull off a fairy tale of a season.

Arkansas, meanwhile, has plenty to do just to get bowl-eligible. Championship runs are little more than heady dreams at this point.

Listen to Petrino — and his staff and his players — though, and you’ll hear a man who has a plan and knows how to implement it. You’ll hear a team that believes better days are coming soon.

I’m guessing there was a similar belief when Leach showed up in Lubbock, and If it can be done at Texas Tech, folks, it can be done at Arkansas.