Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire led the Red Raiders to a highly successful season, including winning the Big 12 Championship and clinching a berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff field. Following their victory over BYU in the conference title game, the Red Raiders have once again been tabbed as one of the dark horses for both the conference and national titles next season.
In an era during which the college football calendar has been thrown into flux as teams jockey for playoff positions, the Red Raiders’ 2027 schedule took a significant hit on Friday. The program is now tasked with rebuilding its non-conference slate to maintain its strength of schedule.
Texas Tech’s Non-Conference Schedule Takes a Hit
On Friday, CBS Sports reporter Brandon Marcello revealed on X that the Red Raiders are seeking two non-conference games after the NC State Wolfpack utilized a buyout to opt out of the teams’ home-and-home series in 2027.
The knock-on effect of the NC State cancellation was Texas Tech also opting out of its scheduled game against the North Texas Mean Green on September 11. This decision was made to ensure the Red Raiders maintain a minimum of six home games for the 2027 season.
“NEWS: Texas Tech is looking for two non-conference games for 2027,” Marcello tweeted. “NC State canceled its game against the Red Raiders due to ACC scheduling, prompting Tech to cancel its scheduled trip to North Texas so it could maintain 6 home games.”
The Wolfpack are adjusting their schedule as the ACC transitions toward a full nine-game conference slate, which has thrown several non-conference calendars into disarray. The game against NC State was slated for September 18, 2027, in Lubbock, serving as the return game after the two teams clashed in Raleigh in 2022.
The Red Raiders are now seeking one power conference opponent and one FBS opponent to repair their 2027 schedule. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt released a statement revealing the program’s plans to fill the calendar.
“We have actively been working on our 2027 football schedule for several weeks now and hope to have a new agreement with a power conference and FBS school finalized soon,” the statement read.
Last season, the Texas Longhorns missed out on the College Football Playoff after starting their season with a tough non-conference game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The debate has since raged on whether they should ditch the return game next season to boost their playoff chances.
Another high-profile series that has been the subject of cancellation rumors is the home-and-home series pitting the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Buckeyes, currently slated for 2027 and 2028. Teams across the country continue to jostle for favorable schedules to ensure their inclusion in the 12-team playoff field while balancing strength of schedule considerations.
