Blueprint for Red Raiders' 2026 playoff run already in place
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Texas Tech's special season fell short of preseason national championship expectations surrounding the program after building one of the most talented rosters in college football.
Every single position was loaded with depth and it certainly showed going roughshod through a competitive Big 12 that includes the program's first 12-win season and Big 12 Championship.
Since the inception of the expanded 12-team playoff, teams seeded No. 1 through No. 4 are a combined 1-7 in the second round. No. 5 seed Oregon dispatched Tech with ease, being held scoreless after averaging more than 40 points per game in the regular season.
The Ducks were only the third team to score more than 20 points on a Red Raiders defense ranked No. 3 nationally in that category.
But, if there's one sign that tells the Red Raiders to stay the course it must look at the team that punched its ticket to the College Football Playoffs final.
Last season was supposed to be the year the Miami Hurricanes and coach Mario Cristobal were able to run through the ACC and compete for the national championship. After a dominant 9-0 start and No. 4 ranking in the initial playoff ranking, Cristobal's team went on to lose two of its final three regular season games, resulting in missing the expanded 12-team field entirely.
Instead of sulking, the Hurricanes' coaching staff went to work by securing a commitment from the No. 1 quarterback of the winter portal period in Carson Beck along with the No. 3 transfer haul, according to 247Sports.
Beck had a fine season, but ultimately proved his worth down the stretch going 8-1 and completing 74% of his passes for 2,097 yards, 19 total touchdowns and just four interceptions.
After six years of college, Beck finally secured his playoff moment by scrambling for a 4-yard touchdown with 18 seconds to go, which is among the latest go-ahead scores in CFP history.
That blueprint sounds familiar, as it should, considering Texas Tech has created a carbon copy of it with the addition of No. 1 quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who is expected to make around $5 million in an NIL agreement.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound dual-threat passer entered the transfer portal after enjoying his best season as a collegiate athlete in 2025. He was named a second-team All-Big 12 selection by the coaches after passing for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only five interceptions.
Sorsby has a very strong arm who can complete passes in several different arm slots. He can also make a difference on the ground as he's rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns over the past three seasons.
A path to the College Football Playoffs is fairly clear cut for the Red Raiders should McGuire's team take care of business by running the table in 2026. Texas Tech has three non-conference games scheduled which includes games against Abilene Christian (FCS), Sam Houston State and a road trip to Oregon State.
There's some tricky Big 12 road games to navigate as Sorsby must return to Cincinnati, a dangerous Colorado team, Oklahoma State with new coach Eric Morris and an Arizona team coming off a rebound season under Brent Brennan.
Tech will also play host to a trio of Big 12 championship hopefuls in Arizona State, TCU and Houston plus West Virginia. If the Red Raiders can coast through a schedule without Kansas State, Utah and BYU things could be smooth sailing in Year Five under McGuire.
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Jacob is a contributor to Texas Tech and a seasoned journalist with over eight years of covering college football on digital platforms. He also contributes to Arkansas On SI and has previous writing experience at Saturday Down South and SB Nation. He is a graduate of Southern Arkansas University.
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