Joey McGuire’s turned Texas Tech football into a force. But lately, the Red Raiders are running into a weird problem: it’s getting harder and harder to find non-conference opponents willing to play them.
There’s a lot going on here. The Brendan Sorsby controversy is still echoing around, and the SEC’s shift to a nine-game schedule has only added to the scheduling mess. Now, Tech’s rising reputation is almost working against them—other programs are starting to dodge them. Let’s dig into why scheduling’s become such a headache and what it means for college football overall.
The Rise of Texas Tech Football
Under McGuire, Texas Tech isn’t just another “good luck” game on the schedule anymore. They’re a real contender now, and you can feel it.
McGuire’s got a knack for selling the vision, and it’s contagious. The program’s seen a wave of investment, savvy transfer-portal moves, and a new revenue-sharing era that lets them actually chase top talent. That’s all added up to some big wins—like taking the Big 12 and landing in the top 10.
Investment and Recruitment
Texas Tech’s turnaround comes down to a few big things:
- Substantial Investment: They’ve put real money into facilities, coaches, and player development.
- Aggressive Transfer-Portal Recruiting: McGuire’s been sharp about grabbing experienced players from the portal.
- Revenue-Sharing Era: Now they can keep up with the big spenders.
All that has made Tech a team nobody’s eager to face.
Scheduling Challenges
Even with all this momentum, scheduling’s become a minefield. They’ve tried to line up series with names like Texas A&M and USC, but it’s mostly been a cold shoulder.
The Sorsby mess hasn’t helped—some teams are straight-up refusing to play Tech now, which is just wild.
SEC’s Nine-Game Schedule
Then there’s the SEC’s new nine-game setup. That change rippled out and nuked Tech’s home-and-home with Mississippi State for 2028 and 2029.
Now, there are even fewer non-conference slots to go around. It’s a scheduling squeeze, and Tech’s feeling it.
NC State and Other Cancellations
NC State bailed on a planned single game for 2027 too. It’s like dominoes falling—every cancellation just makes it harder to fill the schedule.
Plenty of programs are circling the wagons, protecting their records to boost playoff chances. Tech’s running out of options, plain and simple.
The Broader Implications
This isn’t just a Texas Tech problem. More and more programs are playing it safe, loading up on winnable games instead of rolling the dice on tough matchups.
It’s starting to hurt the regular season. Less excitement, fewer big games—kind of a bummer if you ask me.
Protecting the Playoff Path
With the playoff expanding, teams are even more protective of their schedules. Athletic directors are hunting for wins, not drama, since a cushier slate can still get you into the playoff.
Indiana, for example, just ducked out of a future series with Notre Dame. It’s a trend, and it’s picking up steam.
Calls for Further Playoff Expansion
Joey McGuire and Kirby Smart from Georgia have both said the playoff needs to get even bigger. Their argument? If more teams get in, schools will be bolder about scheduling real competition.
McGuire’s not shy—he’s challenged Texas to open the season against Tech, but the Longhorns didn’t bite. Can’t say I blame them, but it sure would be fun to watch.
Conclusion
Texas Tech’s rise under Joey McGuire has been nothing short of remarkable. Their success has, weirdly enough, made them a team that a lot of programs would rather avoid.
This leads to some real headaches when it comes to scheduling. Across college football, there’s this growing habit of safer scheduling—teams are picking easier matchups just to stack up wins and keep playoff hopes alive.
It’s understandable, I guess, but you can’t help but wonder if it’s making the regular season less interesting. Coaches like McGuire and Smart are pushing for a bigger playoff, hoping it’ll get teams to schedule tougher non-conference games again.
If you’re curious about Texas Tech’s scheduling headaches or want to see what McGuire had to say, you can check out the full article on CBS Sports here.
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