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Texas Tech enters 2026 as the clear favorites in the Big 12 and the goal of advancing deep into the College Football Playoffs. No current Big 12 program other than TCU in 2022 has a win in the College Football Playoff but the Red Raiders intend to change that after going all-in once again through the transfer portal. 

Winning the program’s first Big 12 championship and claiming its first outright conference championship since the 1950s was cool, though the coaches and players inside the building, as well as Red Raider Nation as a whole, is searching for more. Texas Tech is no longer judged against its Big 12 peers. Joey McGuire’s program will now be measured against the rest of college football’s elite. 

“No one other than OU has ever repeated in the Big 12 so we talk about that a lot and want to do that,” McGuire said during my magazine stop in Lubbock last week. “And then when you don’t play at the level you expect in the playoffs, that adds motivation and fuel. People around here are happy that we’re the Big 12 champs, but they also want more. And we want more.”

The projected team total currently in Las Vegas is 11.5. That’s because the schedule sets up perfectly for Texas Tech to race back to Arlington and into the quarterfinals of the CFP. The non-conference consists of home games against Abilene Christian and Sam Houston and a road trip to Oregon State. The Big 12 slate doesn’t include regular season games against BYU, Utah, or Kansas State – arguably the three other favorites to reach the conference title game. 

Texas Tech lost a ton of production and experience from last year’s squad, including starting quarterback Behren Morton and defensive stars such as David Bailey, Romello Height, Lee Hunter, and Jacob Rodriguez. But another strong portal class, headlined by QB Brendan Sorsby, has the Red Raiders dreaming big once again. 

Here are some notes from my stop in Lubbock, which included conversations with McGuire, OC Mack Leftwich, and DC Shiel Wood. 

Offense 

• There was a ton of familiarity between Sorsby and Leftwich and that made the Cincinnati transfer a perfect fit at Texas Tech. Mack’s dad was the offensive line coach at Lake Dallas when Sorsby was there and he had attended camps that Leftwich was at as a high school product. Tech also shared four or five common opponents with Cincy last year and that allowed Leftwich to scout Sorsby throughout the 2025 season. 
• The main goal for the Texas Tech offense this year is to improve in the red zone and Sorsby’s size, running ability, and quick decision making should help the Red Raiders improve. Leftwich also said they’ll run more on first and second down inside the red zone because the common theme for the teams that score the most touchdowns in that area of the field is that they don’t face third-and-longs. Staying ahead of the chains and not getting too cute on first and second down is the emphasis. 
• Backup QB Will Hammond is expected to start throwing again this summer and the hope is that he’s fully cleared by August. That doesn’t mean he’ll be ready to be QB2 in the opener. Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis has some experience and would be Sorsby’s primary backup if Hammond is working his way back to full speed. Redshirt freshman Lloyd Jones III is developing. 
• RB Quinten Joyner should be fully cleared by summer and he’ll join a loaded running back room that returns Cam Dickey and J’Kolby Williams. Williams was dinged up for most of the 2025 season and gutted it out because there wasn’t much depth behind him and Dickey. Freshman Ashton Rowden was called the most improved player on offense since the start of spring. 
• Leftwich believes the wide receiver room is deeper this year and expects to rotate more at the position. Coy Eakin is the room’s only returning starter, so the Red Raiders added four guys – Kenny Johnson (Pitt), Malcolm Simmons (Auburn), Donte Lee Jr. (Liberty), and Jalen Jones (Alabama State). Johnson was described as the most consistent of that group right now because he has great hands a feel for the game. Jones will work in the slot behind Eakin. Simmons is nicknamed “Freak” and has flashed but needs to be more consistent. Lee can stretch the field. 
• The emergence of Micah Hudson has everyone in the building smiling. He is a former five-star recruit that bounced between Tech and Texas A&M before returning for 2025 and riding the bench for most of the year. He’s had a “phenomenal” offseason and could be a starter in 2026. 
• TE Terrance Carter Jr. is back and will be a focal point of the offense. Nevada transfer Jett Carpenter has been “awesome” and Leftwich says he’d start at most Power Four schools. He’s great in the run game. The staff is impressed with true freshman Matt Ludwig, who was allowed out of his NLI from Michigan after the Sherrone Moore drama. Jason Llewellyn is having his best spring as a Red Raider. 
• Three of the five starters along the offensive line return with Howard Sampson at left tackle, Sheridan Wilson at center, and Jacob Ponton at right guard. Louisville transfer Jordan Church is the expected starter at right guard. The left guard spot is a battle between Hunter Zambrano, who dealt with a back injury last year, and former walk-on D’Anthis Upshaw Jr. Former Colorado transfer Cash Cleveland can play guard or center. Five-star true freshman Felix Ojo was said to be having a “really good spring.” 

Defense 

• Wood admits that his defense might lack the superstars of last year, especially along the defensive line, but that he likes the depth and overall talent on that side of the ball. AJ Holmes is a known commodity at defensive tackle and Wake Forest transfer Mateen Ibirogba was the top interior defensive lineman in the portal. Bryce Butler has also impressed in the interior of the defensive line. 
• Replacing two future NFL draft picks at edge, including a potential Top 5 pick, is a tough chore but expect the Red Raiders to be dominant at defensive end because of Trey White and Adam Trick. Trick’s effort was praised, as was White’s pass rushing ability. 
• The linebacker room is stacked with Ben Roberts and Kansas State transfer Austin Romaine, who is expected to take over for Rodriguez. Romaine was an All-Big 12 Second Team selection last year. John Curry, who should start at Star (nickel) also returns and he spends time in the linebacker room. Former Houston transer Corey Platt Jr. provides depth at linebacker. 
• The star of the defense might be cornerback Brice Pollock. He’s a true shutdown corner and that allows Wood coverage flexibility. Amier Boyd is back and expected to start opposite of Pollock. Davin Martin has played at a high level this spring and Ashton Hampton is continuing to grow as a sophomore. Early enrollee S’Vioarean Martin is a name to watch. 
• Sophomore Malik Esquerra is expected to start at the free safety position into the boundary while Brendan Jordan is back to patrol the wide side of the field. Peyton Morgan and Oliver Miles are sophomores on the rise.