Texas Tech’s 2026 football outlook, at least in this roundtable, comes with plenty of confidence and a few clear names emerging as the engines of the season.
On offense, Terrance Carter drew the strongest support. Joe Yeager pegged him as the Offensive MVP, pointing to Carter’s expected lead in receptions and touchdown catches.
Kenny Romero was on the same page, saying Carter is “poised to really break out” and should be Hammonds go to guy with a strong run game helping keep attention away from him. Steven Chapman took a different route and backed Will Hammond, arguing that the offensive line should create a cleaner picture for the quarterback, open up receivers, and give him the kind of efficient passing numbers and key first downs that make a season.
Defensively, the panel centered on players who can benefit from the pieces around them. Yeager selected A.J.
Holmes, saying he’ll do basically what Lee Hunter did last season, which should let the linebackers and defensive ends attack more freely. Chapman chose Austin Romaine, calling him a fit for a defensive line that will open things up and noting, “He was very good at KSU, I think Tech will make him great.”
Romero went with Ben Roberts, citing his continued development, improved coverage, and the help he should get from a strong defensive front.
The biggest game debate produced one clear theme: Houston looms large. Chapman, Romero and Johnson all circled the Cougars, with Chapman calling Houston one of the top three teams in the league and noting its road success last season, including a win at Arizona State.
Romero said it will be the first real test for this version of the Red Raiders. Johnson added that it’s early, ranked, and comes on a Friday night in the third game of the year, while also pointing out that Houston has been very good on the road under Willie Fritz.
Yeager, meanwhile, went with Oregon State, citing Texas Tech’s long-running trouble with teams from that part of the world.
There was also agreement on a newcomer worth watching. Chapman liked Kenny Johnson, describing him as a receiver who runs great routes and should make a big impact. Romero named Austin Romaine as the top newcomer, and Johnson also backed Romaine, calling him one of the best linebackers in the Big 12 and saying he has been “an absolute wrecking ball in camp.”
When it came to the team’s biggest threat in the Big 12 title race, Chapman pointed to BYU and said, “I expect another meeting at Cowboy Stadium.”
As for the regular season, the optimism was hard to miss. Yeager predicted 11-1.
Chapman and Romero both went all the way to 12-0, with Romero saying, “I will go out on a limb and say 12-0 even though I know it is incredibly difficult to make it through a season undefeated. I think this team will play with a huge chip on their shoulder after all of the off season noise”
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LSU is still pushing hard, though, and that keeps Texas Tech in a real fight for one of the nations most coveted young recruits. With Brewster acknowledging the Tigers continued pursuit and insiders expecting a decision between Texas Tech and LSU soon, the Red Raiders are facing the kind of test that can shape both a class and a programs recruiting reputation. [Read more 🡒]
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