College Football Coaches’ Exchange in Texas

The gust of wind from the Lone Star State isn’t a tornado, though the season calls for it. Instead, it’s a war of words between college football coaches. Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian criticized Texas Tech’s strength of schedule. In response, Red Raiders head coach Joey Maguire expressed readiness to face the Longhorns, even suggesting canceling a game with Abilene Christian to make it happen.

Maguire’s reaction came as he grasped that such a matchup would never occur. The NCAA and their conferences wouldn’t permit cancellation of non-conference games. For Texas, agreeing to this challenge offers no benefits. The Longhorns stand to lose more, with upsetting consequences.

“Texas has nothing to gain from adding Tech to their schedule and everything to lose.”

Teams today often drop tough non-conference games to streamline the College Football Playoff path. Texas Longhorns, with their rigorous schedule, won’t trade easier games for challenging ones without good reason. Sarkisian’s team faced Ohio State last season, narrowly missing the CFP.

This season, Texas meets Ohio State again and Texas teams like UTSA and Texas State, both bowl-eligible. The path gets tougher during league play with away games at Tennessee, LSU, and rival Texas A&M, as well as home games against Florida and Ole Miss. They also have a neutral-site confrontation with Oklahoma.

• Three of their opponents were Playoff teams last year.
• LSU and Tennessee show potential for improvement.
• Florida boasts a strong roster annually.

Scheduling Texas Tech wouldn’t enhance the Longhorns’ standing with the CFP selection committee. A loss could significantly harm Texas, while a win would be of little advantage in this theoretical situation.

Maguire benefits from tough rhetoric as he understands the improbability of the game. Additionally, Tech’s less daunting schedule would gain from adding a high-caliber opponent like Texas.

The SEC faces criticism for playing weaker opponents. Nevertheless, Texas’ schedule challenges this perception. The proposed showdown with Texas Tech remains unrealistic. They must focus on potential confrontations in the CFP without risking regular-season losses.

This scenario reflects the strategic maneuvers teams adopt in college football.