The Texas Tech Red Raiders stumbled for the first time this season, falling 37-24 to Cincinnati on Saturday — and billionaire booster Cody Campbell is taking his frustration out on the airwaves.
Campbell, a prominent donor and chairman of the Texas Tech Board of Regents, has threatened to boycott Double T 97.3, the school's flagship radio station, after a producer publicly urged him to stop inserting himself into the conversation.
The trouble started when Brennan Riker, a producer at the Lubbock station, responded to Campbell's postgame tweet with a blunt request: "For the sake of the program and fan base, just stop talking. Please stop tweeting."
Campbell fired back on social media, tagging Texas Tech's Senior Associate Athletics Director for external operations, Robert Giovannetti, and suggesting the school cut ties with the station: "How about 'for the sake of the program,' everybody @TexasTech stops talking and doing interviews on @DoubleT973? @robertgio, let's discuss."
Campbell's frustration stems from more than just the loss. In a Paramount+ documentary, he appeared to endorse a fan theory that Cincinnati had reported quarterback Brendan Sorsby's gambling issues to the NCAA, and he promised "retribution" against the Bearcats. "Looking back on it, I know that Texas Tech and I handled everything with integrity, and we did things the right way," Campbell said. "I think this is something that could have been handled much more privately. We're not going to forget about that, and I don't think they'll forget about it either when we're up by 40 and still throwing the ball in the fourth quarter. That's where the retribution will come."
Instead, Cincinnati had the last laugh, handing the Red Raiders their first defeat of the season thanks to four touchdown passes from JC French IV. The Bearcats even tagged Campbell on social media while celebrating the upset, adding insult to injury.
Campbell's postgame message to the team was less about revenge and more about accountability: "There is no excuse or reason to lose a game like this. We have to be better." He later told USA Today that the entire program—players, coaches, administrators, and boosters—shares responsibility. "It's the whole 'team'—which these days includes all of us," he said. "I'm not pointing fingers at any individual."
This isn't the first time Campbell's passion has sparked controversy. Earlier this season, he drew criticism from fans after his comments about the Sorsby situation went viral. Now, his threat to pull media access from the radio station raises fresh questions about how boosters influence college football programs.
The Red Raiders' playoff hopes took a serious hit with the loss, and the team now faces an uphill battle in the Big 12. As the drama unfolds, one thing is clear: Campbell's presence—both in the boardroom and on social media—continues to make headlines, whether the program likes it or not.
