Texas Tech’s place in ESPN’s latest strength of schedule rankings tells the whole story.
The Red Raiders came in dead last among Power Conference programs, landing at No. 68 out of the 68 teams in the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. ESPN’s rankings, built from each team’s Football Power Index, also pushed Texas Tech all the way down to No. 74 overall, behind several non-Power Conference teams.
That kind of number explains why Joey McGuire has been so eager to get Texas on the schedule.
The Texas Tech coach has spent plenty of time pushing for a matchup with the Longhorns this season, even though both teams already have full slates. McGuire has challenged the idea behind Steve Sarkisian’s comment that there was a team in the state Texas could beat with its second- or third-string players, and he has repeatedly pressed for the Horns to reshuffle their schedule to make room for the Red Raiders.
From McGuire’s perspective, the urgency makes a little more sense when you look at what Texas Tech is actually lined up to play. Outside of conference action, the Red Raiders are currently set to face Oregon State, Abilene Christian and Sam Houston. Without a heavyweight from the SEC, Big Ten or ACC on the calendar, the schedule simply does not carry much weight.
Texas, meanwhile, has shown no interest in entertaining the idea. Sarkisian and the Longhorns have mostly brushed aside the noise, offering only a few comments and never making a move to alter the schedule for Texas Tech.
Urban Meyer has also weighed in, backing Texas to keep ignoring the challenge. The former Ohio State and Florida head coach said the Longhorns should stay away from the matchup, warning that playing the Red Raiders would only open the door to an embarrassing loss if McGuire managed to pull the upset.
For now, the message from Texas is clear: keep the focus on the games already on the schedule.
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