This was the seventh meeting between Texas Tech and Ole Miss, with their most recent prior meeting coming in
2018. Coming into the bowl, the Rebels led the all-time series 4–2.[6] This was the fourth bowl game played between the two teams—they met in the
1986 Independence Bowl,
1998 Independence Bowl, and
2009 Cotton Bowl Classic; all three match-ups ended in a victory for Ole Miss.
Texas Tech, from the Big 12, finished the regular season with a record of 7–5, led by first-year head coach
Joey McGuire. Highlights of the season included finishing with a winning conference record (5–4) for the first time since
2009 and defeating
Texas and
Oklahoma in the same season for the first time in program history.[7] This was the Red Raiders' third Texas Bowl appearance, having won the
2012 edition, 34–31, to
Minnesota and losing the
2015 edition, 27–56, to
LSU. Texas Tech began the game in air raid formation as a tribute to former head coach Mike Leach.
Ole Miss, from the SEC, finished the regular season with a record of 8–4, led by third-year head coach
Lane Kiffin. The team started the season 7–0, but lost four of their next five games. This was the Rebels' first Texas Bowl appearance.
This was the seventh meeting between Texas Tech and Ole Miss, with their most recent prior meeting coming in
2018. Coming into the bowl, the Rebels led the all-time series 4–2.[6] This was the fourth bowl game played between the two teams—they met in the
1986 Independence Bowl,
1998 Independence Bowl, and
2009 Cotton Bowl Classic; all three match-ups ended in a victory for Ole Miss.
Texas Tech, from the Big 12, finished the regular season with a record of 7–5, led by first-year head coach
Joey McGuire. Highlights of the season included finishing with a winning conference record (5–4) for the first time since
2009 and defeating
Texas and
Oklahoma in the same season for the first time in program history.[7] This was the Red Raiders' third Texas Bowl appearance, having won the
2012 edition, 34–31, to
Minnesota and losing the
2015 edition, 27–56, to
LSU. Texas Tech began the game in air raid formation as a tribute to former head coach Mike Leach.
Ole Miss, from the SEC, finished the regular season with a record of 8–4, led by third-year head coach
Lane Kiffin. The team started the season 7–0, but lost four of their next five games. This was the Rebels' first Texas Bowl appearance.