Texas Tech reshaped its roster aggressively through the portal, acquiring elite talent to fuel another Big 12 title push and CFP contention.
When you make a College Football Playoff run, the reward is glory. The price? Everyone wants your roster.
That was the reality facing Texas Tech this offseason.
After a record-breaking year in Lubbock, powered by a vicious defense and timely offense, Joey McGuire and his staff stared down a portal cycle that felt less like maintenance and more like reconstruction.
And then they went shopping. Aggressively.
The Red Raiders didn’t just patch holes; they replaced entire walls. The portal class reads like a depth chart overhaul, headlined by impact defenders, veteran playmakers, and one very expensive quarterback.
Let’s start with the obvious plot twist.
Behren Morton played tough football in 2025, but toughness only goes so far when your body betrays you at the wrong moments. Injuries lingered, rhythm disappeared, and Texas Tech’s offense stalled badly against Oregon in the Orange Bowl.
Enter Brendan Sorsby - Big 12 rival, portal prize, and reportedly a $5 million investment.
Sorsby wasn’t just good at Cincinnati. He was elite. The No. 2 overall player in the portal piled up 3,380 total yards, 36 touchdowns, and just five interceptions in 2025. He can beat you with his arm, break your contain with his legs, and punish mistakes in a hurry.
That alone cranks Tech’s offensive ceiling way up.
Yahoo Sports took notice, listing the Red Raiders among the biggest winners of the portal. This isn’t subtle anymore. Texas Tech is acting like a program that expects to be back in the CFP conversation - not hoping.
Losing stars like Jacob Rodriguez and David Bailey hurts. There’s no sugarcoating that. But Tech’s response was swift and calculated.
Kansas State linebacker Austin Romaine arrives ready to start immediately, a steady presence in the middle after Rodriguez’s departure.
Up front, San Diego State edge rusher Trey White brings four years of Mountain West terror with him, with 19.5 career sacks and a body of work that begs proof on a larger stage.
Mateen Ibirogba might be the sneaky steal. The former Wake Forest lineman is built like a refrigerator with bad intentions and ranked as the No. 2 defensive lineman in his transfer class. If he plays to his ceiling, offensive coordinators will learn his name quickly - and unhappily.
On the outside, Auburn transfer Malcolm Simmons adds juice. Pitt receiver Kenny Johnson adds production. Together, they give Sorsby weapons that force defenses to pick their poison - and usually choose wrong.
And that’s the theme of this portal class: options. Answers. Insurance.
Texas Tech now owns the No. 2 transfer class in the Big 12 and ranks No. 11 nationally.
The formula worked in 2025. Joey McGuire saw no reason to change it for 2026.
Texas Tech isn’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. They’re reloading loudly - and the Big 12 has officially been put on notice again.