Steve Sarkisian has always been forthright as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns.
This offseason, his statements about Ole Miss’s academic standards, as well as the deliberate stab he made at Texas Tech’s scheduling practices, have been clear.
He went so far as to argue that Texas’ second and third string players could win the Big 12 with the schedule of ‘another team’ in Texas, referring to Texas Tech.
Joey McGuire, the team’s coach, who has always been outspoken, has responded directly to Sarkisian’s statements.
Joey McGuire blasts Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns.
And he didn’t hold back at all during the Big 12 Spring Meetings. He even stated that Texas Tech would be willing to pay out its game versus Abilene Christian in order for Texas to play them Week 1 in Lubbock or AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
I claimed there was no way they could be talking about us since Sark was a hard guy. His squad is really strong. I believe he would call us out if he were discussing us. He wouldn’t just make a remark along the lines of, “Well, there’s another squad in our state,” McGuire said, via Cole Banker of KLBK Sports. We’re ready to play our games, and Abilene will join Texas State, buying out our contract. I’m sure Texas can afford to buy out its contract since it has so much money. But I know there are a lot of Red Raiders willing to help them buy out their contract if they don’t want to, and they can come to Lubbock Week 1 and we can see if their 2s and 3s can win this conference.
Of course, Texas has always been willing to compete against Texas Tech. They lead the all-time series 55-18 and are 19-5 versus the Red Raiders since the beginning of the century.
The Longhorns also crushed Texas Tech 57-7 in Lubbock before departing the Big 12 after the 2023 season. Arch Manning made his college quarterback debut in that game.
McGuire accepts it himself.
However, Texas Tech has vastly altered since that 2023 encounter, and is now celebrating their first-ever College Football Playoff bid. They were also the first team in playoff history to be shut out by their opponent, but the program’s development is still undeniable.
I understand that a lot of people will say a lot of things about me and us. We failed to score in the playoffs, McGuire said. That’s clear, and you may criticize us for it. The last time we faced Texas, we lost 57-7, and he played some of his 2s and 3s, and they destroyed us.
I know he’s very optimistic about his squad based on those remarks, and we’d love to play the University of Texas Week 1 in Lubbock. I know Cody Campbell contacted Stephen Jones, and if they do not want to go to Lubbock, then we will work on gaining AT&T Week 1. So, if they want to play Week 1, we’ll be ready. We would enjoy to compete at the University of Texas.
A parting shot from McGuire.
He didn’t stop there. After the Horns were excluded from the playoffs with a 9-3 record, he fired a pop shot at Texas.
“We were in the CFP last year, McGuire told Chris Vannini. I don’t recall who Texas chose in the first round previous year. “
So, what will all of this celebration and grandstanding bring McGuire? Probably nothing.
The odds of something of this size occurring so late in the spring are probably slim to none.
Then again, it may present Texas with the chance to put an end to Texas Tech’s PR effort.
This, of course, prompts the question: Will Texas bite? The answer is almost certainly no. Even if Tech sweetened the pot and provided to play in Austin, which they would never do.
Texas already has one of the hardest schedules in all of college football, with games against Ohio State in Week 2 and SEC opponents Ole Miss, Tennessee in Knoxville, Oklahoma in Dallas, LSU in Baton Rouge, and Texas A&M in College Station.
Aside from satiating McGuire, Cody Campbell, and other Red Raider supporters’ egos, playing Texas Tech does nothing to help them.
In other words, McGuire may granstand and puff out his chest all he wants, but Texas doesn’t need to play Texas Tech as often as he wants. Texas Tech appears to require a game against Texas.
The Longhorns may focus on non-conference games against Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame to be fine.
Meanwhile, the Red Raiders will have to look for someone other than Abilene Christian, Oregon State, and Sam Houston, while hoping the Big 12 can generate enough strength of schedule to make a difference the rest of the way.
Texas played opponents like LSU, Alabama, USC, and Notre Dame during its Big 12 days.
Why can’t Texas Tech do the same?
