Texas Tech’s first loss of the season landed hard enough on its own. For Cody Campbell, it hit with extra force.
The Red Raiders, one of the few unbeaten teams going into the week, saw their margin for error narrow in the race for the College Football Playoff after falling to Cincinnati. And with the offseason tension between the two programs still hanging around, the blowout loss clearly struck a nerve with Texas Tech’s biggest backer.
Campbell, the school’s mega-booster, wasted no time voicing his frustration after Saturday’s result. Posting on social media, he wrote, "There is no excuse or reason to lose a game like this," Campbell said. "We have to be better."
There is no excuse or reason to lose a game like this. We have to be better. @TexasTechFB
- Cody Campbell (@CodyC64) October 24, 2026
That message came against a backdrop of growing pressure around Texas Tech’s playoff path. The loss does more than blemish the record; it shrinks the room left for error, especially with multiple undefeated teams sitting near the top of the Big 12.
Campbell’s reaction also makes sense given his role in the program. He played offensive line at Texas Tech from 2001-04, spent a brief season in the NFL, and later built his wealth in the oil business after founding Double Eagle Energy Holdings. That success made him Texas Tech’s primary power booster, and his money has helped the Red Raiders become major players in the transfer portal through NIL deals.
The Cincinnati angle goes deeper than one bad Saturday, though. Campbell’s irritation traces back to the Brendan Sorsby situation from the offseason. Texas Tech brought Sorsby in from Cincinnati through the transfer portal, but his involvement in a gambling scandal ultimately led to him leaving the program.
The dispute escalated when Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield publicly accused Texas Tech of illegally recruiting Sorsby before he entered the portal. According to Sportico, Campbell then texted Big 12 Brett Yormark a message directed at Satterfield: "In the spirit of not publicly airing 'family disputes,' somebody should inform Coach Satterfield that Texas Tech has gone out of its way to not drag Cincinnati on the Sorsby deal," Sportico reported Campbell texted Yormark.
"We have plenty of receipts, and he wants no part of it... This is not a fight he should start."
Campbell later kept the storyline alive after the season started, using Texas Tech’s docu-series "The Program" to take another shot at the way the Sorsby matter had played out.
"Looking back on it, I know that Texas Tech and I handled everything with integrity, and we did things the right way," Campbell said. "I think this is something that could have been handled much more privately.
We're not going to forget about that, and I don't think they'll forget about it either when we're up by 40 and still throwing the ball in the fourth quarter. That's where the retribution will come."
In Other News...
Texas Techs QB Problem Just Changed The Big 12 Picture
Texas Techs trip to Cincinnati only deepened the uncertainty around its quarterback situation, and the Bearcats took full advantage. Will Hammond moved the ball for stretches but never found enough rhythm when it mattered, and the 37-18 loss showed how quickly a shaky passing night can tilt a Big 12 game when the other side is ready to capitalize.
The bigger concern for Texas Tech is that the offensive picture is still clouded by the absence of Brendan Sorsby, who stepped away amid a gambling probe. With ranked opponents coming up, the Red Raiders are left trying to stabilize a position that has already become a weekly conversation, while Cincinnati can look at this one as another sign its defense can force mistakes and make them count. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Has A Stake In The Big 12's Next Decision
Cincinnatis upset of Texas Tech at Nippert Stadium brought one of those full-throated college football scenes that instantly becomes part of a home crowds memory, but it also set off the kind of postgame review the Big 12 has been handling more often lately. The Bearcats first home win over a top-10 opponent since 2006 was followed by fans storming the field, and now the conference is sorting through the details of what happened once the celebration spilled onto the turf.
What matters next is whether Cincinnati is judged to have met the leagues field-storming requirements, with officials looking at whether Texas Tech and the officiating crew had a safe path off the field. The answer could arrive soon, and Texas Tech has a direct stake in it because the Big 12s decision will determine whether this moment stays just a wild Saturday finish or turns into another league fine hanging over the result. [Read more 🡒]
Cincinnati Just Delivered The Home Moment Bearcats Fans Needed
Nippert Stadium finally got the kind of afternoon Bearcats fans have been waiting for, as Cincinnati knocked off No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 and handed the Red Raiders their first loss of the season. It was the programs first home win over an AP Top 10 opponent since 2006, the sort of result that can change the mood around a team and a stadium in a hurry.
The Bearcats did it with a performance that felt built for a signature night, leaning on efficiency through the air and a ground game that kept Texas Tech from settling in. JC French IV kept Cincinnati moving with a sharp passing effort, while Cole Tabb gave the offense a jolt with a career-best rushing day and a long touchdown run that helped stretch the lead. For a fan base that has been waiting for a breakthrough moment at home, this one landed exactly the way it needed to. [Read more 🡒]