Texas and Texas Tech’s Football Feud: Unpacking the Fiction
There’s a lot of bluster coming from Texas football lately, but it’s not due to a tornado. Instead, it’s a war of words between two college coaches. Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian recently commented on Texas Tech’s strength of schedule. In response, Red Raiders head coach Joey Maguire suggested they’d happily face the Longhorns, even dropping their out-of-conference game against Abilene Christian. Yet this proposed matchup will remain hypothetical.
Joey McGuire expressed interest in playing Texas, but in reality, neither team will cancel games with non-conference opponents. The NCAA and their conferences wouldn’t allow it. Despite this talk, the Longhorns would do well to avoid adding Texas Tech to their schedule.
Playing the Red Raiders offers minimal gains but substantial risks. In college football, ease of schedule is critical for reaching the College Football Playoff. For example, last year, the Longhorns narrowly missed the Playoff after finishing 9-3. A less challenging opening game might have shifted their fortunes.
This season, the Longhorns face Ohio State again, along with bowl-eligible Texas teams like UTSA and Texas State. As their slate gets tougher, league play poses further obstacles. Road games against Tennessee, LSU, and Texas A&M, coupled with home matches against Florida and Ole Miss, ensure a challenging path.
Florida—a team that beat Texas last season—boasts a significant roster, enhancing the difficulty. Adding Texas Tech would not benefit the Longhorns in the eyes of the CFP selection committee. If the Longhorns were to lose, the ramifications would outweigh any potential gain from a win.
For Maguire, the challenge seems appealing. His team faces a lighter schedule, so including another Power Four playoff team like Texas would boost their strength of schedule. But both Texas and Tech know this game isn’t happening.
Critics argue the SEC plays against ‘cupcake’ teams, but Texas’s rigorous schedule counters this stereotype. This theoretical clash will not come to fruition, nor should it. Both teams have ample opportunities in the CFP without adding an unnecessary loss to their record.
Austin Perry is a writer for OutKick.