Texas Tech has embraced the new era of college athletics, but head coach Joey McGuire wants to set the record straight: the Red Raiders are not the biggest spenders in the land.

Despite reports of a roughly $50 million football roster investment—a figure that would make most athletic directors blush—McGuire pushed back on the notion during a recent interview with On3's Pete Nakos. 'I don't know the exact number, but I know we're not the number one team in the country payroll-wise, and we weren't last year either. And we're not the number two,' McGuire said. 'There are teams spending way more than us that didn't win a national championship last year.'

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The comments come as Texas Tech rides high off its first 12-win season in school history, a campaign that showcased the program's aggressive approach to NIL and roster building—a 'hunting' mentality, as McGuire calls it. But the Red Raiders' playoff run ended in a bitter 27-0 Orange Bowl loss to Oregon in January, a result that still stings.

'People are saying, ‘You've got a target on your back, man.' I just keep going back to the Oregon game,' McGuire explained. 'We're hunting because the last thing we have, the reminder we have, is us getting our butts kicked and getting shut out.'

That loss has fueled a fiery offseason in Lubbock, where expectations are soaring. Yet McGuire's denial of being the top spender adds a layer of intrigue to the Red Raiders' rise. If they're not No. 1 or No. 2, who is? The coach didn't name names, but his implication was clear: some programs are throwing around serious cash without the hardware to show for it.

Texas Tech's financial muscle has certainly paid dividends in recruiting and retention, but the upcoming season brings a major challenge under center. With projected starter Brendan Sorsby sidelined following an NCAA gambling investigation, the reins fall to sophomore Will Hammond. Hammond, who backed up Behren Morton for two years, completed 69 passes for 680 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions in 2025—a small sample size, but one that has coaches optimistic.

The Red Raiders open their 2026 campaign on Sept. 5 against Abilene Christian, and all eyes will be on how this self-described 'hunting' squad responds to the pressure of a target on their backs. As the SEC's dominance in ESPN's FPI suggests, the road to a title runs through the usual powerhouses, but Texas Tech is clearly intent on crashing the party.

McGuire's comments also echo a broader sentiment in college sports, where the financial arms race has sparked debates about sustainability and fairness. Some, like UConn's Dan Hurley, have called the current landscape a 'complete expletive-show', but McGuire seems to be navigating it with a mix of bravado and humility.

Whether Texas Tech truly ranks among the top spenders remains a matter of interpretation—roster valuations are notoriously murky—but one thing is certain: the Red Raiders are spending to win, and they're not shy about saying so, even as they deflect the crown of biggest spender.