The Big 12 did not hide its hand when it released the 2026 schedule. Texas Tech, fresh off a 12-2 season, a Big 12 title, and its first CFP appearance, will defend its crown without seeing BYU or Utah in the regular season. Those were the teams that finished directly behind the Red Raiders last year. 

The path back to Arlington has been smoothed, and people noticed. The real question is who will copy it next. Should head coach Mike Elko give it a swing? Texas A&M booster Johnny Manziel did not bother with subtlety as he responded to TexAgs insider Billy Liucci’s criticism of Tech’s schedule construction. 

“Who cares? First off..let em talk,” Johnny Manziel posted on X on January 21. “Secondly, having a tougher schedule makes your team better in the long run, but it’s better to just schedule the softest schedule possible and get into the playoff. Whatever happens from there happens 🤷🏻‍♂️”

Sounds like advice aimed squarely at his former program and Mike Elko?

Billy Liucci’s original point was direct. He argued that no one in the media or the CFP room would punish Texas Tech for avoiding the league’s next-best teams. 

“The Red Raiders have gamed the system and I don’t fault them for it,” he posted. 

Texas Tech’s schedule is proof that access to the playoff is increasingly about minimizing risk, not maximizing difficulty. Their nonconference slate reinforces that reality. The Red Raiders open September 5 at Jones AT&T Stadium against Abilene Christian, the same opponent they barely escaped in a 52-51 overtime win in 2024. Graham Harrell returns to Lubbock as ACU’s co-OC, adding nostalgia, not danger. Trips to Oregon State and home games against Sam Houston State round out a month designed to build wins. 

Conference play is balanced but manageable. Houston, Colorado, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Arizona, and West Virginia define the middle of the schedule. Oklahoma State, with former Tech assistant Eric Morris now leading the Cowboys, adds intrigue in mid-November. Baylor and TCU close the season. The Big 12 title game awaits on December 4 in Arlington if Texas Tech simply takes care of business.

Texas A&M is staring at the opposite problem. The Aggies’ 2026 schedule is fair early and unforgiving late. Missouri State, Arizona State, and Kentucky open the season at Kyle Field before a September trip to LSU. From there, Arkansas, Missouri, and The Citadel offer brief relief, but Alabama on the road resets expectations. The final five games including South Carolina away, Tennessee at home, Oklahoma away, and Texas at Kyle Field will define Mike Elko’s season.

That is why Johnny Manziel’s comment matters. It came alongside news of his $3 million donation to the Texas A&M football program, a public endorsement of Mike Elko’s direction and a reminder of his standing within the program. The former Aggies Heisman QB understands how little sympathy exists for teams that choose difficulty over access. Even Texas’ head coach Steve Sarkisian will tell you that. 

Will Mike Elko consider Steve Sarkisian’s advice?

Steve Sarkisian already lived the cautionary tale. Speaking on SEC This Morning in December, he admitted that Texas’ Week 1 loss to Ohio State likely cost the Longhorns a playoff path. Texas finished 10-2, but the 14-7 loss to the No. 1 Buckeyes lingered. 

“At that point, if we’re just staring at a record, we’ve got to put ourselves in a better position to get a better record,” he said. 

It was an unusually candid assessment from a coach who scheduled aggressively. Steve Sarkisian backed it saying Texas played five top-ten teams. Several teams ranked ahead of them played none. The committee had to weigh elite wins against damaging losses, and Texas lost that debate. With nine conference games now locked in, he admitted future nonconference scheduling may change. That admission echoed loudly beyond Austin.

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For Mike Elko, the decision is philosophical as much as practical. ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25 has Texas A&M at No. 10 entering 2026 while EssentiallySports’ has him a spot behind. The roster is strong and the SEC schedule will supply credibility whether the Aggies want it or not. The question is whether adding extra risk helps or hurts. Johnny Manziel has already answered, Steve Sarkisian already learned, and Texas Tech already benefited. The only thing left is whether Texas A&M is willing to listen.