5 Bold Predictions for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2026
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Nothing could’ve prepared Texas Tech for the Brendan Sorsby gambling scandal that rocked college football. The Red Raiders paid up for Sorsby in the offseason, and likely felt like they had the quarterback to make a certified College Football Playoff run. Sorsby is now gone, awaiting a shot at the NFL, which raises a world of questions for Texas Tech in 2026.
With Sorsby no longer in the picture, the Red Raiders will likely turn to last season’s backup Will Hammond, if he’s healthy after ACL surgery. If Hammond can’t go in Week 1, it might be Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis.
Outside of the looming quarterback questions, Joey McGuire’s bunch feels poised to dominate the Big 12 once again. The defense acquired key pieces, such as Wake Forest transfer Mateen Ibirogba and former Kansas State linebacker Austin Romaine. Cameron Dickey is back at running back after a 1,100-yard and 14-touchdown 2025 campaign.
Fresh off a disappointing shutout against Oregon in the 2025 CFP quarterfinals, the Red Raiders hope to rebound with a second-straight conference title and go on a deeper run this season.
Here are five bold predictions for Texas Tech in 2026.
5 Bold Predictions for USC for the 2026 College Football Season
Texas Tech Will Make the 2026 College Football Playoff
Even with all of the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position with Sorsby’s summer exit, it’s difficult to envision a world where the Red Raiders don’t make the 12-team CFP field.
Last season, Hammond proved to be a serviceable backup and potential high-upside option at the quarterback position. Dickey is back after a fantastic season where he sliced and diced opposing defenses. Sprinkle in the rest of last season’s holdovers and some fresh blood via the transfer portal, and you have a CFP-worthy recipe.
Another reason for optimism? Texas Tech has a nice schedule outlook. The Red Raiders notably don’t play BYU or Utah, and draw dark-horse Houston at home.
Barring a massive fall-off from Hammond, Texas Tech should be one of the final 12 teams competing for a national championship at the end of the regular season.
Red Raiders Will Repeat as Big 12 Champions
All roads in the Big 12 lead through Lubbock, Texas.
The Red Raiders have a stacked roster, a program-building coach and more money than any other team in the league. Texas Tech notably avoids conference title challengers BYU and Utah. That’s a recipe for a conference title repeat if I’ve ever seen one.
Sure, there are more questions than answers surrounding the quarterback position. Texas Tech also has to break in a few key contributors on the defensive side of the ball. But I’m not sure it will matter.
Barring another injury to Hammond or a team like BYU, Utah, or Houston going undefeated in Big 12 play, Texas Tech has to like its chances of repeating as Big 12 Conference champions in 2026.
Cameron Dickey Will Top 1,300 Rushing Yards and 17 Touchdowns in 2026
Last season, Dickey was hotter than a two-dollar pistol, tallying over 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry. He only eclipsed the 100-yard mark in two games but did an excellent job of churning out hard yards and was a big factor in the red zone.
With Sorsby gone and Hammond presumably the starter when healthy, Dickey will, in all likelihood, get an even steadier diet of carries this season. He averaged a little over 16 carries per game during the 2025 season, and he might go over 20 touches per game this fall.
Texas Tech returns the entire right side of its line from last season, and it brought in a pair of high-performers from the portal to anchor the left tackle and left guard positions.
Dickey should have another standout campaign and be the focal point of the offense in Sorsby’s absence.
Austin Romaine Will Anchor Red Raiders’ Defense
Fellow Big 12 opponent Kansas State saw significant roster churn after the departure of steady-hand head coach Chris Klieman. The Wildcats lost a pair of high-end defensive ends to Indiana, and Jayce Brown left Manhattan for LSU. But perhaps the biggest loss of all comes in the form of new Texas Tech linebacker Austin Romaine.
Last season, Romaine battled injuries and had a statistically down year compared to his 2024 campaign. But in a new system, surrounded by better talent, there’s plenty of reason for optimism that he’ll bounce back in a big way for the Red Raiders.
Even in a down year, Romaine tallied 41 solo tackles and 66 tackles overall. He’ll likely take up the Jacob Rodriguez role this fall, and I expect him to flourish.
If he impresses for Texas Tech, this defense will be one of the best in the country once again this season.
Texas Tech Will Lose to Houston
Even without Sorsby, Texas Tech is still the heavy favorite to repeat as Big 12 champions. The Red Raiders bring back 65% of last season’s returning production – more than any other team in the league. They’re loaded on both sides of the ball and should be a force for the second straight season.
And although the Red Raiders dominated the Big 12 last season, it’s tough to go undefeated in back-to-back league campaigns. One game on the schedule that I have circled is the Sept. 18 matchup against Big 12 dark horse Houston.
Willie Fritz is an excellent football coach. The Cougars bring back starting quarterback Conner Weigman, reeled in five-star recruit Keisean Henderson and appear to have some new beef in key positions across the offensive and defensive lines.
Given the early-season concerns with Hammond’s recovery timeline from an ACL injury, the Red Raiders might be ripe for an upset in their first big matchup of the season. Give me the Cougars in a close one.
Related: Big 12 Football: Preseason 2026 Power Rankings
Related: Big 12 Football: Predicting the Best Game for Every Week in the 2026 Season
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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