Texas Tech HC Joey McGuire is up for a reunion between Texas Tech and Texas after comments made by Longhorns HC Steve Sarkisian.
Following an apparent slight toward his team by Texas' Steve Sarkisian, Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire is calling for the Longhorns to settle the debate on the gridiron.
During a stop at a Longhorns Touchdown Club luncheon in Houston, Sarkisian claimed that one fellow in-state program will make the College Football Playoff, but plays a schedule so weak that the Longhorns would be undefeated playing it with their "2's and 3's."
While there was no direct mention of the team he was referencing, many immediately narrowed it down to McGuire's Red Raiders. The idea that Texas Tech has a less-than-ideal slate heading into the upcoming season is not a new one nor is it even that far-fetched.
Truthfully, Sark's comments are more of an indictment against the quality of teams present in the Big 12 outside of Texas Tech, as he acknowledged the Red Raiders' dominance over these teams but felt that it is not anything special to accomplish.
Looking to solve this raging debate and also silence an old rival in the process, McGuire said he is welcoming the Longhorns to schedule a matchup in Week 1.
"We would love to play Texas," remarked McGuire at annual Big 12 Meetings.
This renewal of the rivalry would ideally take place in Lubbock's Jones AT&T Stadium, although McGuire said he would settle for a star-studded showdown in AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Now, that request is easier said than done. However, McGuire has apparently put more effort into the potential meeting than a simple ask.
According to McGuire, he has been in contact with both of the team's current opening opponents, Abilene Christian and Texas State, in hopes of buying them out to free up the slot for the Red Raiders and Longhorns to clash.
McGuire is not the only face from Texas Tech getting in on the rallying cry for a date with the Longhorns, as Board of Regents President Cody Campbell made an offer of his own.
"Upping the ante: @TechAthletics will pay the buyout for both the ACU and Texas State games. Let’s go!!! @CoachSark@_delconte," Campbell wrote on X.
Obviously, McGuire only has a say in which teams are on Texas Tech's schedule but the move shows that he is serious about putting the Red Raiders' in position to be challenged by the best in the sport.
He doubled-down on that by attempting to lure none other than Notre Dame into a series with Texas Tech.
"If Texas doesn't want to play Notre Dame, we'd love to play Notre Dame in '28 and '29," quipped McGuire.
This comment comes after rumors that the Longhorns are attempting to back out of their currently scheduled home-and-home series with the Fighting Irish.
Of course none of these hypothetical matchups are much more than words from McGuire as of now. But if Texas Tech continues to compete at the highest level of college football, these types of marquee foes could become commonplace on the Red Raiders' schedule.
In regards to the Texas-sized reunion, it is unclear if the Longhorns will agree to the Sept. 5 game but McGuire's brazen behavior has set them up to put their money where their mouth is.
