Joey McGuire didn’t exactly tiptoe around USC on Monday.
Asked during his press conference about the atmosphere for Saturday night’s sold-out game in Lubbock, the Texas Tech coach used the moment to needle the Trojans and their fan base.
“Not to take any shots, because I have a lot of respect for USC and Lincoln Riley, but it’s really awesome to be playing in Lubbock, Texas, knowing we’re going to be playing in front of 60,000 (fans),” McGuire said. “It’s going to be warm. It’s going to be every bit as warm as it was Saturday.
“The great thing is we got some really tough people in West Texas that love their football, and they’re going to show up, no matter what the weather’s like. There’s not going to be any excuse of why they’re not going to be here for us.”
The jab was a clear nod to USC’s season opener last Saturday in Los Angeles, when San Jose State came to the Coliseum and the crowd was far lighter than expected on a 94-degree day with a heat index of 104. The weather and the opponent both took plenty of blame for the sparse turnout, and the empty seats became a national talking point as people mocked one of college football’s most storied programs.
McGuire’s timing wasn’t random, either. His comment landed in the middle of a broader irritation around Texas Tech’s place in the scheduling world. Earlier this summer, reports surfaced that USC backed out of a series with the Red Raiders that would have sent the teams to Houston in 2027 and Las Vegas in 2028.
That mattered to Texas Tech for more than one reason. The Red Raiders have been looking for stronger non-conference opponents, and they’ve had trouble finding programs willing to line up against them. Many around college football have criticized Tech’s recent and upcoming schedules, but Tech fans believe the bigger issue is simple: blue-blood programs don’t want to risk losing to them.
USC had openings, and Texas Tech was willing to help fill them. Riley’s ties made the fit even more interesting - he’s a Texas Tech alum who coached under Mike Leach in Lubbock. But the matchup never came together, and McGuire’s Monday remarks suggested he and his program haven’t forgotten that.
Even with the disclaimer that he wasn’t taking a shot, McGuire plainly did. And in keeping with the reputation he has built over the last two offseasons, he seemed comfortable leaning into it.
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