Texas Tech Red Raiders 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Texas Tech Red Raiders 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 Texas Tech Red Raiders roster and what to expect in the Big 12 this season. Can Joey McGuire follow up a 12-2 breakthrough while sitting on a 5-out-of-10 coaching hot seat? And who wins the quarterback room between returning Red Raider Will Hammond and Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis?
Can an offense that finished 7th in scoring stay elite under coordinator Mack Leftwich? Who wins the quarterback room, Will Hammond or Kirk Francis? Hammond threw 9 touchdowns in three starts a year ago. Francis logged 12 starts and 18 touchdowns at Tulsa. Can Shiel Wood’s defense hold up after ranking 1st against the run in 2025? What does a Saturday feel like inside Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock? Can Texas Tech handle a loaded Big 12 slate? The road runs through Oregon State, Houston, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Baylor and TCU. And where’s the value on the Texas Tech win total of 10.5, Big 12 odds and Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
McGuire’s Hot Seat After A 12-2 Breakthrough
This Texas Tech Red Raiders 2026 preview starts with a coach riding momentum. Joey McGuire led the Red Raiders to a 12-2 record in 2025, the best mark of his Lubbock tenure. So the deck still pins his hot seat at a 5 out of 10. That is a middle number for a program chasing more. First, that 12-2 finish raised the bar in the Big 12. Then the expectations climbed right along with it. Because Texas Tech spent big to build this roster, 2026 reads like a prove-it season rather than a rebuild.
Mack Leftwich’s Offense And The Hammond-Francis Room
Texas Tech finished 7th in scoring offense and 10th in total offense in 2025. The passing game ranked 17th nationally. Mack Leftwich runs the show as offensive coordinator, so the system carries plenty of firepower into the new season. First, the quarterback room opens up as a real competition. Then Will Hammond makes his case after throwing 9 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions across three starts a year ago. Also in the mix is Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis, who logged 12 starts, 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Because both arms bring starting experience, Leftwich has real options at quarterback.
Shiel Wood’s Defense Anchors The Front
Shiel Wood coordinates a Texas Tech defense that ranked 3rd nationally in total defense in 2025. First, the run defense finished 1st in the country, the loudest number on the whole roster. Then the scoring defense landed 3rd, so opponents rarely found easy points against Lubbock. The pass defense checked in at 26th, the one area with real room to climb. Because the front held up so well, Wood can build the 2026 plan around the run again.
The Schedule, Jones AT&T Stadium And The Win Total
Texas Tech opens at home against Abilene Christian before a road trip to Oregon State. First, Houston, Sam Houston and Colorado round out the early slate. Then Arizona State, Cincinnati and Arizona arrive in the heart of the Big 12 season. From there, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Baylor lead into a Week 13 finish against TCU. What does a Saturday feel like inside Jones AT&T Stadium when the Masked Rider charges the field in Lubbock? The deck sets the Texas Tech win total at 10.5. The Red Raiders sit at plus 100 for the Big 12 and minus 200 to make the Playoff. So the hosts weigh the over against a schedule built for a deep run.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
03:24 Hosts and Mike Leach Tribute
05:45 Cody Campbell and Texas Arms Race
10:51 Tortilla Toss Controversy
17:48 Big 12 Title Recap
24:10 McGuire Hot Seat Debate
36:52 Offense Philosophy and Stats
38:13 Sorsby Saga and NIL Rules
40:03 QB Room Hammond and Francis
43:59 Run Game and Portal Additions
47:38 Defense Coach Shiel Wood
48:39 Elite Defense Recap
49:55 Portal Reload Breakdown
51:42 Regression vs Year Two
55:33 NIL Beer and Lubbock Tales
58:33 Jones Stadium Love Letter
1:01:42 Program State Rating
1:02:59 Schedule Weeks 1-4
1:08:55 Midseason Big 12 Slate
1:12:55 Stretch Run and Rivalries
1:17:10 Win Totals and Locks
1:21:08 Coach McGuire Debate
1:24:22 Who Tech Should Play
1:26:11 Wrap Up and Sendoff
