Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire offers to buy out Texas’ Week 1 opponent so Red Raiders can play Longhorns originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
College football is imminent, and some of the sport’s rivalries are already bubbling. While his Texas Tech Red Raiders weren’t originally slated to take on in-state Texas this season, coach Joey McGuire now wants a crack at the Longhorns based on a public war-of-words.
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Last week, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian heavily hinted that his team could play its second- and third-stringers and still be able to go undefeated and make the College Football Playoff if it had Texas Tech’s Big 12 schedule.
McGuire did not take kindly to Sarkisian’s statement and is upping the ante. He wants to schedule a battle between the two schools and has even offered to buy out both teams’ current opening-week opponents.
Here’s why Coach McGuire offered to buy out the Longhorns’ first opponent of the season.
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Why did Joey McGuire offer to buy out Texas’ Week 1 opponent?
McGuire offered to buy out Texas State, the Longhorns’ opening week opponent, in order to set up a Battle For The Chancellor’s Spurs on Week 1. According to the Red Raiders’ coach, he “would love to play Texas” either at the Longhorns’ stadium or at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
According to McGuire, he has already been in contact with both Abilene Christian, Texas Tech’s Week 1 opponent, and Texas State. The Red Raiders’ athletic program is reportedly on board in buying out both of the school’s opponents in order to set up the Texas-Texas Tech Week 1 game.
McGuire says they are both already on board with the idea, and provided quite the snapback at Coach Sarkisian. Here is how Texas Tech’s responded to Sarkisian’s belief that the Longhorns’ second and third-stringers could go undefeated with Texas Tech’s 2026 schedule, according to On3:
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“I’ve actually talked to (ACU coach) Keith Patterson and I’ve talked to (TXST coach) GJ Kinne and they’re willing to take our games,” McGuire said. “Abilene Christian will go to Texas State, we’ll buy out our contract out of Abilene Christian. I’m sure, because Texas’ got a lot of money, they can buy their contract out.”
“But I do know there’s a lot of Red Raiders that will help them buy that contract out if they don’t want to. They can come to Lubbock week one and we can figure out if their twos and threes can win this conference.”
Former Texas Tech and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes weighed in, posting a GIF of the school’s Masked Rider entering the field. In simple terms: Game on.
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What did Steve Sarkisian say about Texas Tech’s schedule?
The head coach of Texas’ football program did not tread lightly on the apparent step down Texas Tech’s conference, the Big 12, was from the SEC. Sarkisian stated that Texas would cruise to victory if they were still in the Big 12, a conference the school left in 2024.
Here is the full report on what Sarkisian said, though he remained vague about which school specifically he was referring to. It can be assumed that he was referring to the Red Raiders.
According to Sarkisian, he believes that he would be able to play his second and third-string players during the season, go undefeated, and make the College Football Playoff with the Red Raiders’ schedule.
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Who does Texas Play Week 1?
The Texas Longhorns are currently scheduled to suit up against the Texas State Bobcats on Sept. 5 at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.
Who does Texas Tech play Week 1?
On Sept. 5, the Red Raiders are currently set to begin their season at home on the Jones AT&T Stadium gridiron against the Abilene Christian Wildcats.
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How much would it cost to reschedule Texas and Texas Tech games?
While it may appear tedious to reschedule two separate games, it is financially possible for a large athletic program. Here are the numbers behind potentially making this work, according to FBSchedules:
Texas Tech would need to pay its own Week 1 opponent roughly $1 million, while the Longhorns’ slated opponent would earn around $1.4 million. In total, the Red Raiders’ athletic program would be dishing out a ballpark of $2.4 million to set up its bout against Texas.
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When did Texas and Texas Tech last play?
The last meeting between the Longhorns and Red Raiders came on Nov. 24, 2023. That day, Texas marched onto the field and put on a show for their home crowd.
The Longhorns emerged victorious 57-7. During the game, current Texas QB Arch Manning made his first appearance as the team’s quarterback at the end of the third quarter. He completed two passes for 30 yards.
Here are the complete highlights from Texas’ 50-point win:
