Sports
Texas Tech Football: Top 3 Things to Watch in 2026 - Heartland College Sports
Texas Tech football enters 2026 ranked No.
Joey McGuire's program has 16 different starters heading into the season, 11 of them returners from last year's squad. The Red Raiders spent a record $28 million on their roster a year ago, and that figure has climbed toward $40 million for 2026, nearly doubling in a single offseason. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby dominated the offseason conversation nationally, becoming one of the most debated figures in college sports since revenue sharing reshaped the landscape earlier this decade.
For Red Raider fans, the stakes are straightforward. Tech is chasing a second Big 12 title, and the preseason ranking signals the program belongs in that conversation nationally. The returning talent gives McGuire a foundation most Big 12 programs would trade for right now.
Three things to watch this season: how Sorsby handles the spotlight after a full offseason of hype, whether the new starters blend with the returners fast enough, and if the roster spending actually translates to a championship run or just a bigger target.
No Big 12 program enters 2026 with more eyes on it than the Red Raiders.
Common questions
Where is Texas Tech ranked in the 2026 preseason football poll?
- Texas Tech is ranked No. 12 in the Preseason AP Top 25 entering 2026. The Red Raiders earned that ranking after making a College Football Playoff run last season, which ended in a quarterfinal loss to Oregon at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
How many starters does Texas Tech return for the 2026 season?
- Texas Tech has 16 different starters heading into 2026, with 11 of them returning from last year's squad. That combination of experience and new contributors sets the foundation as the Red Raiders chase a second Big 12 championship.
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