The Texas Tech Red Raiders made their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance in 2025, and Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams of the USA TODAY Network expected them to be back in 2026.
The two, who host the “SEC Football Unfiltered” podcast, included the Red Raiders in their too-early CFP bracket predictions for the 2026 season. While Adams was the one who picked Texas Tech, Toppmeyer endorsed the selection, even though he thinks another Big 12 team will push the Red Raiders.
I saw you worrying that I’d pick Brigham Young if you didn’t hurry and lock in Big 12 choice. I might’ve done it, too. Without Brendan Sorsby playing for Texas Tech, I think it’s a coin flip between Tech and BYU, but I’m OK with this.
While Texas Tech will be without Sorsby, they still have one of the deepest rosters in the country and have faith in quarterback Will Hammond, who could be back sooner than initially expected. Seven Red Raiders made the All-Big 12 Preseason Team, with defensive lineman A.J. Holmes Jr. being selected as the Defensive Player of the Year by a panel of media members who cover the league. BYU was right behind them with six selections and will be looking for revenge after getting crushed by Texas Tech twice last year.
The duo expects quite a few teams to return to the playoffs in 2026, also picking the Miami Hurricanes, Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Indiana Hoosiers, and Texas A&M Aggies to return to the postseason.
The Red Raiders will take their first step in returning to the CFP on Sept. 5 when they host Abilene Christian. They will open conference play shortly after, welcoming the Houston Cougars to Lubbock on Sept. 18.
This article originally appeared on Red Raiders Wire: Texas Tech picked to return to CFP by USA TODAY
Reporting by JD McCarthy, Red Raiders Wire / Red Raiders Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By JD McCarthy, Red Raiders Wire | USA TODAY Network
