The Athletic tried to put a price on each Power Four program in college football and Texas Tech's ranking may raise some eyebrows.
LUBBOCK -- Texas Tech has found itself in the crossfire this offseason, stemming partly from its deep pockets and ability to use those resources to load the Red Raiders up with elite talent.
The strategy has paid off in recent years for the program, as Texas Tech rose to the top of the Big 12 and made its debut in the College Football Playoff just this past season. And that success is not showing any signs of letting up.
Although its modern accomplishments are glaringly obvious, how much value have they added to Texas Tech in the grand scheme of college football?
The Athletic took a crack at breaking down the worth of all Power Four programs, including Texas Tech, and their findings are somewhat surprising.
According to the report, they put together their list based on a formula akin to what is used to evaluate professional teams ahead of their potential sale, with some conferences inherently being valued more than others.
In a not quite so shocking move, the SEC and Big Ten laid claim to most of the top of the rankings, namely the entirety of the top 10 except for notorious independent Notre Dame.
Former rival on the field and target of offseason quarrels, the Texas Longhorns were at the absolute peak of the list with a mind-boggling $2.46 billion (with a B) price tag.
The Big 12 did not have one of its 16 member schools pop up until midway through the 20s and that first mention was not its reigning champion.
Instead it was Utah, which has a solid history of its own before joining the conference three years ago. The report valued them at $638 million.
Texas Tech did not see its name called until No. 32, with a presumed worth of $525 million. Still not shabby for a program looking for its first sustained period of glory in close to two decades.
Although it is understandable why one great year did not overshadow the years of relevancy from the Utes, who once again had an impressive campaign last season, it is hard to imagine many people choosing Utah over Texas Tech at this moment in time.
Despite its possibly lower ranking than expected, the Red Raiders continue to be on the climb under head coach Joey McGuire.
This season's squad is already the early favorite to capture another Big 12 title, even after losing its presumed starting quarterback, and the Red Raiders may not be ready to stop there.
Another season or two of conference championships and trips to the CFP could keep shooting Texas Tech further up the leaderboard until it is right next to the programs that would be appalled to be mentioned alongside it just a few years ago.
Even if the list does not continue to be updated year after year by The Athletic, Texas Tech will undoubtedly be rising in the minds of those around college football if the Red Raiders are able to continue their newfound dominance.
