Texas and Texas Tech won't meet on the field this fall, but that didn't stop Steve Sarkisian from lighting a fire under the rivalry. The Longhorns head coach took an unprovoked swipe at the Red Raiders' schedule during a speaking event in Houston this week, questioning the strength of their path to the College Football Playoff.
Speaking at The Touchdown Club of Houston on Thursday, Sarkisian was asked whether the CFP selection committee will ever truly weigh strength of schedule when handing out at-large bids. His answer quickly turned into a pointed critique of Texas Tech's 2025 campaign.
“There’s a team in our state that plays in another conference that has a schedule that I would argue if I played with our twos and our threes, we could go undefeated, and they’ll probably make the CFP this year,” Sarkisian said.
The comment lands like a haymaker, especially given Texas Tech's recent CFP appearance. The Red Raiders went 12-1 last season, secured a first-round bye, and then got shut out 23-0 in their playoff opener. Meanwhile, Texas finished with three losses and settled for a Citrus Bowl bid.
Sarkisian's jab isn't entirely without merit. Texas Tech's 2026 schedule lacks the heavy hitters that typically define a playoff resume. If quarterback play holds up under Joey McGuire, another playoff run is plausible—but the skepticism about the schedule's toughness is hard to ignore.
It's been a rough week for Texas Tech. Before Sarkisian took his shot, Tom Brady stirred up controversy during a commencement speech at Georgetown University. The seven-time Super Bowl champion called Texas Tech a "glorified community college" while praising former Red Raider Danny Amendola's grit. That dig at Texas Tech drew sharp backlash from alumni and fans alike.
Brady's comment might have faded if not for Sarkisian piling on. Now, the Longhorns coach is public enemy No. 1 in Lubbock. The timing couldn't be worse for a program that just watched its playoff run end in a shutout and now faces questions about the legitimacy of its schedule.
For Sarkisian, the remark is both a flex and a gamble. It signals confidence in his roster, but it also invites scrutiny if Texas stumbles again this season. The Longhorns are still adjusting to life in the SEC, and a weak non-conference slate could leave them vulnerable to similar criticism.
As the college football world digests Sarkisian's comments, one thing is clear: the Texas-Texas Tech rivalry is alive and well, even without a game on the calendar. And for a program like Texas Tech, the best response might just come on the field this fall.
