We are just over a month away from the college football season, and the national pundits are staking their claim on who has the hardest and not-so-hard schedules in the sport. What comes as no surprise, considering Steve Sarkisian’s comments, is that the Texas Tech Red Raiders are among the easiest at the Power Four level. Brad Crawford of CBS Sports even went as far as to say only NC State has an easier campaign ahead.
Crawford, like most of the national media, points to the investments that the team has made in the transfer portal. We won’t blame him for going after the low-hanging fruit. But there are real concerns, especially at the quarterback position, if Will Hammond isn’t fully healthy by Week 3. Based on recent reports, it is less likely to be a concern when they kick that game off.
Texas Tech spent another offseason buying itself into the Big 12 Championship conversation after winning the league last year with a program-record nine NFL Draft picks. And much to coach Joey McGuire’s liking, the schedule sets up beautifully for that investment to pay dividends. Yes, losing Brendan Sorsby before he took a snap is the biggest question, but the Red Raiders have surrounded the quarterback position with one of the deepest, most talented rosters in the country thanks to an aggressive transfer portal haul. If the rebuilt roster gels early and the Red Raiders topple Houston, Texas Tech has a legitimate path to double-digit wins, a Big 12 title appearance and College Football Playoff contention.
Texas Tech’s schedule is favorable
When you look at the schedule, it is easy to see why it is favorable. They have one game that features a team that is likely to be ranked in the preseason, the Houston Cougars.
The nonconference slate isn’t very strong, but it could be if Texas accepted the challenge for the first week of the season. The toughest matchups in conference play will happen at home, and they don’t play BYU or Utah. The only chance of that matchup would happen at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Factor in the favorable home slate, and you have a recipe to repeat as Big 12 champions.
Cautionary Tales to Avoid: Florida State Seminoles
Despite the easy slate, Texas Tech has to avoid the trap. Just a couple of seasons ago, the FSU Seminoles were coming off a regular season where they were 13-0. They finished 2-10 that season and followed up that with a 5-7 campaign after starting 3-0 with a win over Alabama. The schedules were favorable in both seasons.
Reasons for Texas Tech optimism
The Red Raiders are poised to make another run. The defense looks to be a strength once again despite losing the entire front four to the NFL and the leading tackler, Jacob Rodriguez. Ben Roberts and John Curry are ready to fill that void at the linebacker level, with Trey White, Adam Trick, Austin Romaine, and AJ Holmes among others joining that front seven.
Don’t sleep on the offense once Will Hammond gets rolling. He brings a running advantage that the team didn’t really have with Behren Morton. Add in the three-headed rushing attack from Cameron Dickey, J’Koby Williams, and Quinten Joyner, and that’s quite a core to build on. Perhaps this will be the year that Micah Hudson finally breaks through, and if the spring game was any indication, then get ready.
Texas Tech won’t be handed wins just based on the fact that a national outlet labeled its schedule one of the two easiest in college football. Still, this gives the Red Raiders an advantage with a favorable path compared to other contenders in their own conference. This gives them a legit opportunity to make noise again down the stretch and return to the College Football Playoffs. Doing so would make them the first Big 12 team since the Oklahoma Sooners to make back-to-back CFP appearances.
This article originally appeared on Red Raiders Wire: Texas Tech lands among CFB’s easiest schedules for 2026 season
Reporting by Patrick Conn, Red Raiders Wire / Red Raiders Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Patrick Conn, Red Raiders Wire | USA TODAY Network
