Fresh off a 12-win season, a Big 12 championship, and a College Football Playoff run, Texas Tech should be a dream non-conference opponent. Instead, the Red Raiders have hit a wall. Major programs across the country are quietly wiping Texas Tech off their future schedules, leaving head coach Joey McGuire with empty dates and a new reputation to manage.

“We’re talking to everybody and anybody. So far, everybody’s told us no,” said McGuire to On3’s Brett McMurphy.

The immediate 2026 slate is locked in with games against Oregon State, Sam Houston State, and Abilene Christian. The real headache starts in 2027 and beyond. Heavyweights like USC backed out of a planned neutral-site series for 2027 and 2028, while Mississippi State pulled out of a home-and-home deal for 2028 and 2029. That leaves Texas Tech scrambling to fill major holes against minor programs.

NC State joined the exit trend by triggering a buyout clause in the home-and-home contract to cancel their matchup. Meanwhile, in-state rival Texas A&M flatly turned down McGuire’s offer to set up a future series. One by one, the nation’s biggest brands are choosing to stay far away from Lubbock.

Texas Tech is far from the only powerhouse getting ghosted in modern college football. Even blue-blood giant Ohio State is running into the same cold shoulder, with Athletic Director Ross Bjork admitting there is “not a lot of willingness” from major programs to schedule Ryan Day’s Buckeyes beyond 2030.

In the Red Raiders’ case, reports claim that the reluctance of the elite programs stems from anger over the school’s aggressive legal maneuvering regarding player eligibility rulings, alongside broader power-conference scheduling constraints.

McGuire is actively hunting for solutions, even reaching out to former rival Texas and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. While Freeman expressed interest in a home-and-home series, Notre Dame’s schedule is booked solid through 2028.

“If [Texas cancels] we would love to play a home & home [series] w/Notre Dame. I’ve talked to [Notre Dame coach] Marcus [Freeman]. He would love that also,” added McGuire.

Left with few takers, McGuire is not complaining about the cold shoulder. Instead, he is leaning right into the bad-guy persona. “We’re the most hated team in college football. And I absolutely love it,” Texas Tech head coach told On3.

In college football, the tag “villain” refers to a team’s sudden success or continuous victories, or potential to beat opponents, which can trigger hate from fans. Regardless, the Red Raiders’ head coach takes this hate as motivation ahead of the 2026 season.

On the field, Tech enters 2026 transitioning to young quarterback Will Hammond following the departure of veteran Behren Morton. Despite an offseason filled with portal turnover and high-profile roster shifts, McGuire has restocked the cabinet with top-tier recruits. The Red Raiders enter the fall as legitimate Big 12 contenders, ready to prove that last year’s title run was no fluke.

Why Texas Tech has become a “villain”

Texas Tech’s rise from middle-of-the-pack to target-on-its-back began with massive financial backing. Led by billionaire booster Cody Campbell, the program leveraged name, image, and likeness (NIL) resources to stack the roster with high-level transfers.

That investment paid off with a 2025 Big 12 title and an Orange Bowl playoff appearance against Oregon, turning heads and drawing envy across college football.

The villain tag grew heavier during a turbulent summer offseason. High-profile portal addition Brendan Sorsby’s controversy played a role in it, as he parted ways with the program a couple of months ago.

Through every headline and canceled contract, McGuire remains unbothered. He knows in college sports, people only hate you when you are dangerous.