Texas Tech booster claps back at Steve Sarkisian after Texas coach takes a shot at Red Raiders
SEC and Big‑12 Coaches, Donors Clash Over Non‑Conference Scheduling
April 29, 2026 – A series of remarks from college‑football coaches and a Texas Tech booster has reignited the long‑standing debate over how schools schedule opponents outside their conferences, with particular focus on the perceived strength of the SEC and Big 12 schedules.
LSU’s New Coach Challenges SEC Scheduling
Lane Kiffin, who was recently hired as the head coach at LSU, opened the discussion by criticizing the difficulty of the SEC’s conference slate. In a televised interview, he argued that SEC teams face tougher opponents later in the season, citing his own experience scheduling “free wins” in non‑conference play. Kiffin added that his program would receive roughly twenty easy non‑conference victories over five years, a claim that drew heat from fans and analysts who question the fairness of such scheduling.
Ole Miss’ Steve Sarkisian Says Undefeated Seasons Are a Thing of the Past
Shortly after Kiffin’s comments, Steve Sarkisian of Ole Miss weighed in. Speaking at a press conference, Sarkisian reiterated that a perfect season was becoming increasingly rare in the modern era of college football. The remark came a few months after the Indiana Hoosiers completed a 16‑0 season, underscoring the competitive nature of the sport.
Texas Head Coach Addresses Rival’s Scheduling
The conversation shifted to Texas when head coach Anwar Richardson took the stage at The Touchdown Club of Houston. He suggested that the Texas Tech Red Raiders, a Big 12 team, could potentially play a schedule that would keep them undefeated and make the College Football Playoff, citing Texas Tech’s perceived weaker slate of opponents. Richardson’s remarks were aimed at the Texas‑based rival, the Longhorns, and implied that the state’s teams were not yet prepared for such a challenge.
Texas Tech Booster Pushes for a Game
In response, billionaire Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Schedule us then! We’ve been talking about it for years and we are more than willing!!” The statement was a direct reply to Sarkisian’s comments and was interpreted as a push for Texas Tech to face the Longhorns.
Texas Coach Discusses Future Non‑Conference Scheduling
The Longhorns’ coaching staff, led by Richardson, has already announced a shift in its approach to non‑conference games. Following a 9‑3 finish in 2025 and a failure to reach the playoff, Richardson said that Texas will honor existing commitments to Ohio State and Michigan for the next two years. He added that future non‑conference schedules beyond that period remain open for discussion.
Strength‑of‑Schedule Numbers
Data from the SP+ metric system, which analyzes team performance against opponents, provides context. According to the latest rankings, Texas finished the 2025 season with the 13th‑most challenging schedule in the country and the 16th‑best strength of record. Texas Tech, by contrast, ranked 45th in schedule difficulty but achieved the third‑best strength of record, largely due to decisive victories over Utah (34‑10) and BYU (combined 63‑14). These numbers illustrate the disparity between Texas’s perceived toughness and Texas Tech’s comparatively weaker slate.
Texas’ Financial Advantage
In addition to scheduling concerns, Texas’s football program has been highlighted for its expensive roster. According to a recent analysis, Texas holds the most valuable roster among all college‑football programs, underscoring the financial weight carried by the Longhorns.
Community Reaction
The comments have sparked heated debate among fans and analysts. Some argue that SEC teams indeed face a grueling late‑season schedule, while others contend that the conference’s overall strength does not justify claims of “tougher games” late in the year. The Texas Tech booster’s push has been met with skepticism, given the data showing Texas Tech’s weaker schedule compared to Texas.
Bottom Line
The week’s exchanges underscore the ongoing challenge of balancing competitive fairness, financial considerations, and fan expectations in college football scheduling. As the SEC and Big 12 prepare for the next season, the conversations sparked by Kiffin, Sarkisian, Richardson, and Campbell are likely to influence how programs plan their non‑conference slate and how they position themselves for playoff contention.
