Much chatter has emerged in Texas, stirred not by a tornado but by heated words from college football coaches. Recently, Steve Sarkisian, head coach of the Texas Longhorns, questioned the strength of Texas Tech’s schedule. In response, Joey Maguire, the head coach of the Red Raiders, proposed a head-to-head matchup, even suggesting canceling their game with Abilene Christian to make room.
Despite the bold suggestion from Maguire, a real matchup between the Longhorns and Red Raiders outside their scheduled encounters is unlikely. Their respective conferences and the NCAA would not support such a change, nor would it be strategically beneficial for Texas.
Current Scheduling Strategies
Teams often adjust their non-conference schedules to shape an easier path to the College Football Playoff (CFP). For Texas, enhancing their already challenging schedule with an additional game against Tech would be unnecessary. The Longhorns’ past and future schedules reflect this complexity.
Last season, Texas concluded with a 9-3 record. They narrowly missed the Playoff, even after winning three out of four games against top-10 teams from October onwards. If their early-season schedule had featured a less formidable opponent than Ohio State, their CFP prospects might have improved.
Looking ahead, Texas faces Ohio State again, along with competitive Texas teams like UTSA and Texas State. As they enter conference play, the challenges mount. They will encounter Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M, Florida, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma, some of whom were previous Playoff contenders.
Hypothetical Matchup Commentary
Incorporating a game against Texas Tech does not significantly benefit Texas in the eyes of the CFP selection committee. The associated risk of a loss could outweigh any potential advantage of a win.
From Maguire’s perspective, a match against a high-profile team like Texas could bolster Tech’s strength of schedule. Regardless, the probability of this matchup occurring is slim.
The SEC often faces criticism for scheduling easier non-conference games. However, Texas’s challenging schedule illustrates this is not universally true.
Texas and Texas Tech may eventually meet in a significant CFP game. But within the current structure, neither institution would risk an additional regular-season defeat.