Texas Tech Red Raiders 2026 College Football Preview
Posted July 25, 2026
2025 Recap
Record – 12-2
ATS – 11-3
“Welcome to the goodie room!”
— Rob Slolom, Tropic Thunder (2008)
The Red Raiders were absolute BEASTS last year as they essentially destroyed everything in their path during the regular season, topping it off with a gruesome beating of BYU in the Big 12 Championship Game. Of course, there was one minor hiccup along the way when they dropped a close one to Arizona St, but they entered the College Football Playoff full of confidence. Enter the Oregon Ducks, who suffocated the mighty Red Raiders in a 23-CACK Orange Bowl victory, putting an abrupt end to a wonderful campaign.
Can Texas Tech make another run at the National Championship in 2026?
Texas Tech Red Raiders 2026 Outlook
OFFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (Big 12):
- Scoring: 39.4 PPG (#2)
- Total Offense: 461.4 YPG (#2)
- Rushing: 182.9 YPG (#3)
- Passing: 287.5 YPG (#3)
- Sacks Allowed: 27 (#13)
The Red Raiders moved like a TREMENDOUS MACHINE last year and they had absolutely impeccable balance. They’ll have a new starting quarterback this season in former backup Will Hammond who looked pretty good last season. He’s coming off a major injury but should be at or near 100% before the season kicks off. We BET that you’ve heard about how the Red Raiders no longer have star transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby on the roster, and we’d WAGER to say that he’s probably running an illegal dice game behind a WAFFLE HOUSE as you read this preview.
The RB room might be the best in the entire nation. Texas Tech retains star RB Cameron Dickey (1,124, 14 TD) along with RB2 J’Koby Williams (868, 6 TD), and don’t forget they still have former USC Trojan Quinten Joyner lurking around, and that’s one heck of an RB3. The Red Raiders have an incredibly deep group of WR/TE despite losing their top two wideouts. WR Coy Eakin is back for duty (637, 6 TD), along with star TE Terrance Carter (552, 5 TD), and the Red Raiders added several productive dudes via the portal. Everyone can pick their own favorite, but we’re partial to Kenny Johnson (695, 5 TD; Pitt Panthers) who’s been getting better every year, and he’s also a very crafty return man.
The offensive line looks like one of the best in the Big 12 on paper, and they’ve got a small handful of guys that’ll definitely be in the running for All-Big 12 honors.
DEFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (Big 12):
- Scoring: 11.8 PPG (#1)
- Total Defense: 258.3 YPG (#1)
- Rushing Defense: 68.1 YPG (#1)
- Passing Defense: 190.1 YPG (#4)
- Sacks: 41 (#1)
It doesn’t seem possible, but it’s true: Texas Tech was better on defense last year than they were on offense. Unfortunately, there are SIX (!) NFL Draft picks that must be replaced, but the transfer portal was kind to them once again.
The defensive line is undergoing significant reconstructive surgery, but the Red Raiders spent a lot of dough bringing in special pass-rushing talent. They snagged DE/EDGE Trey White, who booked an impossible 19.5 sacks over the last two years at San Diego St, along with All-MEGALOCKS Team member DE/EDGE Adam Trick, who created lots of havoc at Miami (OH) last year (8.5 sacks, 13 QBH).
There’s an embarrassment of riches at LB, even after the departure of Butkus Award winner Jacob Rodriguez. They retain two of the team’s top-four tacklers in Ben Roberts and John Curry, while adding another productive piece in Austin Romaine, who did fine work at Kansas St. The secondary needs to find a few new starters, but they still boast a legit lockdown CB in Brice Pollock (5 INT) and a veteran free safety in Brenden Jordan.
SPECIAL TEAMS
WHOA, NELLIE.
It doesn’t seem fair, but the Red Raiders have one of the best special teams units in the Big 12. They’ve got a pair of SPICY return men in J’Koby Williams and Kenny Johnson, and a talented PK in STONE Harrington (22/28 FG, 41/42 XP).
Schedule Analysis
Overall – The hits keep coming, yo.
Texas Tech’s 2026 schedule is a beauty. Non-conference play features two easy home layups in Abilene Christian and Sam Houston alongside a trip to Oregon St. Better yet, Joey McGuire’s squad completely dodges fellow Big 12 heavyweights Utah and BYU, giving them a clear path toward another big year.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at Oregon St (Sept 12)
Texas Tech will be a significant road favorite in this game, and it’s hard to see them having 100% conviction for 60 minutes with that YUUUGE Friday night Big 12 opener against Houston waiting on deck back home.
Season Win Total
Market consensus – July 25
Over 10.5 -200
Under 10.5 +160
MEGALOCKS says:
No leanage.
While the over is still enticing at this price point, there’s better betting value in the futures market.
Note – Our official list of season win total investments will be posted in the blog section of the website.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
Back in the late 1980s, Red Raider fans loved sailing plastic soda lids onto the field—until stadium staff banned them. Tech students pulled an elite tactical pivot: smuggling in stacks of cheap, soft, surprisingly aerodynamic flour TORTILLAS instead. Security stood zero chance, turning every kickoff at Jones AT&T Stadium into a full-blown carb storm. Does the tradition still go on today? You bet, though extra surveillance cameras, 15-yard penalties, and threat of ejection mean rogue tortillas must fly with top-secret stealth.
Joey McGuire is an absolute ATM in conference play, going a profitable 24-12-1 ATS (67%) against Big 12 foes during his time in Lubbock. DEGENERATE Nation: Be advised.
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
The Red Raiders were one of the most entertaining teams in the country last year, but they fell short of their ultimate goal. This year’s squad has lots of new faces at key positions, yet they’re still loaded on both sides of the football and are the recipients of a very soft schedule. We’re not exactly splitting the atom when we say they’re the class of the conference in terms of talent, so we’ll make them our PICK TO CLICK in the Big 12. You can still find odds of -105, or even a bit better if you shop around.
Wreck ’Em Tech!