The Texas Tech Red Raiders have emerged as a rising power in the college football landscape.
The Red Raiders have experienced a revival under head coach Joey McGuire. This includes a 12-2 season in 2025 that resulted in a Big 12 title.
The continued success (and controversies) have impacted the way the program operates – for better or worse.
Texas Tech Facing Scheduling Challenges
GettyWill Hammond is Texas Tech’s starting QB this season.
McGuire opened up about the fact that the Red Raiders are facing a scarcity of non-conference opponents in a recent interview with CBS Sports.
Texas Tech already fell victim to the SEC adding an extra conference game, as Mississippi State canceled the home-and-home the two programs had scheduled for 2028/2029.
North Carolina State also canceled a single matchup slated for 2027 over the spring. The University of Texas famously rebuffed Texas Tech’s offer to play in week one of this season.
Why exactly is Texas Tech facing this self-described crisis? There is more than one answer to this question that will be explored below.
Is Texas Tech to Blame for Facing Conflict?
GettyTexas Tech is in position to defend their Big 12 title despite recent controversy.
The most simple answer is that the Red Raiders have become a nuisance for fellow power four teams to play. There is limited incentive for power four teams to schedule the Red Raiders in a world where the College Football Playoff is expanded to 12. Arizona State is a fellow victim of SEC teams attempting to protect their profile in non-conference play as well, so this isn’t an issue only impacting the Red Raiders.
It’s challenging to blame Texas Tech for the modern landscape of college football. It’s also challenging to absolve the program for missteps that they have made. The most glaring mistake is clearly opting to stick by embattled quarterback Brendan Sorsby for months through a saga that featured gambling allegations.
Sorsby and the Red Raiders officially parted ways on June 15, but not before sizable damage had been done to Texas Tech. The optics aren’t ideal for McGuire’s program at the moment, particularly due to booster Cody Campbell.
Campbell added fuel to the fire during the process. A $274,300 donation to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton raised eyebrows, as it cleared FEC records on June 10. Paxton’s office sent a letter to the Big 12 Conference the very next day, warning the league that any action to sanction Texas Tech would subject them to $200 million in damages.
This is immediately something that will make the average program wary. The optics present that Texas Tech knew they were in the wrong. While Campbell claims that he didn’t donate to Paxton due to the Sorsby saga (in an interview with The Fort Worth Star-Telegram), the timing is uncanny.
There is Light at End of Tunnel for Texas Tech
There isn’t any single party to throw all of the blame at. The current college football landscape is unfavorable for non-conference play. The SEC is leaning all-in on emphasizing conference play. Campbell is continuing to make an enemy of other programs due to his brash style of management.
While Texas Tech is becoming a “bad guy” in college football, they are still kings of the Big 12. The simple truth is that the Red Raiders invest more into football than any other program in the conference.
Texas Tech – mistakes and all – appear poised to be a regular fixture in the College Football Playoff moving forward. This program might be on the way to becoming a pariah. This isn’t something that matters to them, as long as they continue to dominate the Big 12.
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