Let’s call it what it is—Joey McGuire isn’t just stirring the pot. He’s lighting the whole kitchen on fire. During Big 12 Media Day, the Texas Tech head coach didn’t toss out a casual scheduling idea, he lobbed a direct challenge straight at Brian Kelly and the SEC. “I’d love to play LSU. Home-and-home series,” McGuire said, flashing that signature confidence that’s made him both a media darling and a coach who doesn’t blink. Most folks talk SEC smoke. McGuire’s out here sending invitations.

This isn’t just media day fodder either. There’s a method to McGuire’s madness, and it’s built on the back of a $55 million NIL luxury no other program can flex. With a jaw-dropping war chest in their arsenal, Texas Tech has the cash, clout, and class of talent to bang on the door of college football’s velvet rope club, and McGuire knows it. “They’ve built the best team money can buy,” one anonymous Big 12 coach told The Athletic. “But if they don’t win the Big 12, holy cow.” That’s not just pressure, that’s a warning.

Texas Tech is not shy about its new identity. The Red Raiders brought in the top-rated transfer portal class in the nation, 20+ players, headlined by freaks like Stanford edge rusher David Bailey, All-MAC DT Skyler Gill-Howard, and Georgia Tech linebacker Romello Height. Five-star WR Micah Hudson, one of the most electrifying receivers in the country, stayed put thanks to a NIL deal so sweet it probably needs a nutrition label. QB Behren Morton’s still slinging it too—3,335 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2024 while injured in their 8-5 campaign. Add those weapons to a system that plays fast and bold? That’s a playoff-caliber firework show waiting to blow.

And they’re doing all this with one of the easiest schedules in the Big 12. According to ESPN, the Red Raiders have the fourth-softest ride in the conference. On paper, that’s a setup for a 10-win season. But here’s the catch: no matter how good you look beating Cincy or Houston, the playoff committee isn’t buying unless you knock off some big dogs. Just look at the Miami Hurricanes’ 2024 season—they went 10-2, and the committee didn’t give a squat, handing the nod to a 10-3 Clemson team instead. Moral of the story? If you’re not stacking wins against the big boys, the committee’s not picking up the phone.

That’s why McGuire’s barking at LSU. He’s trying to game the system, force Texas Tech into conversations previously reserved for the Alabamas and Michigans of the world. And it’s working. The CFP format is shifting, and Joey’s making sure his squad isn’t left holding the bag when the invites go out.

On July 13th, Joe DeLeone hopped onto The Ruffino & Joe Show and gave his opinion on Joey McGuire’s SEC call: “Well, this is what I’m like so perplexed by—why some people are kind of framing it this way. I mean, I like when coaches approach things like this. I really do. And they’re just very direct like, ‘Hey, we should be playing teams in the SEC. We should be playing teams in the Big Ten’…I think our program is trending in such a direction that we could show up and compete with LSU,” DeLeone said, riding shotgun with McGuire’s vision. “Why not play us?” he asked. “We want to play you. Neutral site, wherever it is.” These aren’t delusions of grandeur. They’re the words of a program that’s done the math, signed the checks, and now wants the smoke.

But it’s not just about wanting the smoke—it’s about delivering. NIL money helps get you in the room, but wins keep you there. Tech dropped $5.1 million on five-star OT Felix Ojo in a three-year package that sent recruiting ripples nationwide. Star softball pitcher NiJaree Canady’s rocking a seven-figure deal. Men’s hoops standout JT Toppin is raking in $3 million. But the football team? They’re the centerpiece. That $20.5 million slice of NIL money under the House settlement isn’t just helping—they’re redefining what a non-blue blood can look like in the NIL era.

Still, if Tech can’t bring the pain when it matters—say, in November showdowns or potential Big 12 title deciders—it’ll all be smoke with no brisket. McGuire’s well aware of that, and that’s what makes the LSU callout genius. It’s both a recruiting pitch and a national statement: ‘We don’t just belong here. We’re coming for your seat.’

Texas Tech’s $55M gamble could change the college football power map

This isn’t just an offseason headline. It’s a chess move designed to crash a party that’s long kept off outsiders. And it’s working. Josh Pate of Late Kick isn’t just sipping the Red Raider Kool-Aid—he’s pouring another round. “If I’m running a sportsbook,” Pate said, “it’s Texas Tech and Arizona State, one-two in any given order [for the Big 12].” The odds? Kansas State’s the favorite at +600, but Tech’s right behind at +650, neck-and-neck with Utah and Arizona State. This wave of momentum isn’t an accident.

The Matador Club collective, co-founded by big-money alums like Cody Campbell and John Sellers, is rewriting the rules. Tech isn’t chasing the SEC—it’s setting the blueprint for how every Power 4 program not named Georgia or Ohio State can compete. Their NIL infrastructure is robust, targeted, and ruthless in a good way. Recruits know they’ll get paid and play. That combo’s rare. And McGuire knows how to sell it better than a late-night infomercial. But here’s the kicker—none of this matters if Tech can’t beat the big boys.

A cushy 10–2 season might get you a New Year’s Six invite. But it won’t put you in the Playoff. That’s why McGuire’s SEC challenge is more than hype—it’s strategic. If LSU or another SEC team bites, and the Red Raiders win? Now you’re talking about a résumé builder with serious teeth. It’s not just proving Tech belongs—it’s forcing the rest of the college football world to recalibrate what a contender looks like.

And let’s be real, nobody’s coming to Lubbock for the scenery. They’re coming for the money, the exposure, and the chance to shock the world. With $55 million in the tank, crazy upgrade on defense, the best transfer class in America, and a head coach who isn’t afraid to take shots at giants, the Red Raiders might not just be the wild card in the Big 12—they could be the future blueprint of how to dominate the NIL era.