The Texas Tech Red Raiders are facing challenges in assembling a strong non-conference schedule for the 2026 season. Despite efforts by head coach Joey McGuire and his staff, the team has been unable to secure top-tier opponents for their out-of-conference games.
According to McGuire, conversations with several prominent programs, including USC, Texas A&M, and NC State, have yielded no commitments from these schools to play the Red Raiders. "We're talking to everybody and anybody," McGuire said. "So far, everybody's told us no."
The issue of strength of schedule is a crucial factor in college football, particularly when it comes to conference standings and playoff rankings. The College Football Playoff selection committee takes into account both a team's strength of schedule and its overall resume.
While the Big Ten and SEC conferences tend to dominate lists of the toughest schedules, other Power 5 conferences, such as the ACC and Big 12, have fewer opportunities to play top-level opponents. The Texas Longhorns are expected to face a particularly challenging road ahead in 2026, with several tough away games.
The situation raises questions about the fairness of criticizing teams for their strength of schedule when they are unable to secure strong non-conference opponents. If prominent programs such as USC and Texas A&M refuse to play the Red Raiders, how can they justify complaining about Tech's lack of tough games on its schedule?
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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