A few comments about college football scheduling have turned into one of the biggest offseason feuds in Texas. What started with a remark from head coach Steve Sarkisian has now drawn in Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire, powerful Red Raiders booster Cody Campbell, and, now, even former national championship coach Urban Meyer.

“We’ve all done that as a coach when people stick microphones in your face at media days and things come out,” Urban Meyer said on the Triple Option podcast this week. “You probably go back afterwards and maybe your AD or your media guy says, ‘I wish we wouldn’t have said that.’ That was one of those moments. I bet Sarkisian wishes he could go back. We’re looking at the Texas Tech schedule. You got Abilene Christian, Oregon State, Houston, Sam Houston, Colorado, Arizona State, a good team. Cincinnati is up and down, Arizona, West Virginia, who were down. Then Oklahoma State and Baylor. And then you look at the SEC schedule.

“Texas needs to worry about one thing. They don’t need to start hyping up a billionaire. Texas, stay away from that one, man. Because Texas Tech’s good enough to beat you. There’s no win.”

The latest chapter began when Sarkisian discussed the strength of the schedule in an interview. Without directly naming Texas Tech, he referred to a “team in our state that plays in another conference that has a schedule that I would argue if I played with our twos and our threes, we could go undefeated, and they’ll probably make the CFP this year”. The college football community quickly connected the dots.

Sarkisian’s comments are interesting since Joey McGuire’s Texas Tech made it to the playoffs for the first time last season after a 12-2 overall and 8-1 conference record. Not only did the team win the Big 12 championship, defeating BYU, but it also signaled through its billionaire donor, Cody Campbell, to continue its winning ways. Nevertheless, according to ESPN, the Red Raiders played the 46th toughest schedule last year, while Sarkisian’s team played a ninth-ranked schedule in the country. Despite that gap in opponents’ prowess, Cody Campbell didn’t back down from throwing a challenge.

“Schedule us then,” Campbell wrote on X. “We’ve been talking about it for years, and we are more than willing.”

But it wasn’t just the billionaire booster radiating confidence in his team. Head coach McGuire also hit back at Steve Sarkisian.

“Upping the ante: @TechAthletics will pay the buyout for both the ACU and Texas State games,” Campbell wrote on X. “Let’s go!!! @CoachSark @_delconte“

“I’ve actually talked to (Abilene Christian head coach) Keith Patterson, and I’ve talked to (Texas State head coach) GJ Kinne, and they’re willing to take our games, and Abilene Christian will go to Texas State,” McGuire further told reporters. “We’ll buy our contract out of Abilene Christian. I’m sure, ‘cause Texas has got a lot of money, they can buy their contract out. But I do know there are a lot of Red Raiders that will help them buy their contract out.”

In truth, the situation favors Texas Tech slightly more. If Texas refuses to play, critics will say the Longhorns are avoiding the challenge. If Texas agrees and loses, it would hand the Red Raiders a major recruiting and PR victory. Even a Texas win might not provide much benefit because the Longhorns are already expected to compete for SEC and national titles.

The Red Raiders have the most returning production amongst all Big 12 teams (65%) tied with Houston Cougars and are ranked 12th nationally in the metric. Not just that, they also have one of the best transfer portal classes. So, for Sark to defeat Joey McGuire’s team won’t be easy.