Steve Sarkisian: Texas football backups could go unbeaten vs Texas Tech 2026 schedule

May 21-HOUSTON - Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian didn't name Texas Tech University during his annual speech to the Touchdown Club of Houston in a packed ballroom Thursday at the Omni Galleria. But that doesn't mean the Big 12 football program didn't take a straight jab to the face while Sarkisian took a shot at the inequities in scheduling among Power Four conferences.

"There's a team in our state in another conference with a schedule that I would argue if I played with our twos and threes, we could go undefeated, and they'll probably make the CFP this year," Sarkisian said.

The dig at Texas Tech came in the context of comparing team's résumés when it comes to the CFP selection committee.

"Our conferences aren't equal, so your conference scheduling isn't the same," Sarkisian told reporters before the banquet. "The requirements of what you play out of conference aren't the same, so strength of schedule isn't the same. How do you compare apples to apples when it's really apples to oranges? And how do you then put 16 people in a room, and they decide who the at-large groups are?"

Texas Tech finished fourth in last year's final College Football Rankings that preceded last the 12-team playoff. The Red Raiders went 12-1 against a schedule that included just three teams who finished in those CFP rankings - No. 12 BYU, No. 15 Utah and No. 21 Houston - and a three-game nonconference schedule that included Oregon State, Kent State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Red Raiders received a first-round bye in the CFP before a humbling 23-0 loss to Oregon in the quarterfinals. Texas fell short three spots short of the CFP after losing to No. 2 Ohio State in a nonconference game and No. 3 Georgia and unranked Florida in SEC games. The Longhorns beat No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 14 Vanderbilt.

This season, Texas Tech plays Abilene Christian and Sam Houston in nonconference play and won't face Utah and BYU in Big 12 play.

In comparison, Sarkisian's Longhorns will face a 20206 schedule that includes another nonconference game against Ohio State as well as SEC rivals Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. All finished in the top eight in the final CFP rankings.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 4:03 AM.