The strong wind from Texas is not due to a tornado. It stems from the verbal sparring between two college football coaches. Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian and Texas Tech’s head coach Joey Maguire have recently exchanged words about their respective teams’ schedules.

Sarkisian critiqued Texas Tech’s schedule, implying it lacks toughness. Maguire responded by expressing a desire to face the Longhorns. He even suggested canceling a scheduled game against Abilene Christian to challenge Texas. However, such a matchup is not realistic.

Neither Texas nor Texas Tech will cancel non-conference matchups to play against each other. Their conferences and the NCAA would not permit this. Even if they could arrange such a game, the Longhorns would stand to gain little.

Why the Longhorns Should Decline

Adding Texas Tech to their schedule would not benefit Texas. The Longhorns already confront a challenging path to the College Football Playoff (CFP). They must navigate tough non-conference games, including a match against Ohio State, in addition to their rigorous league fixtures.

Last season, Texas showed they can compete with top teams, going 3-1 against top-10 opponents. They nearly reached the CFP, despite a tough schedule. There were suggestions that replacing a game against Ohio State with a lesser opponent could have secured their playoffs spot.

The Existing Rigorous Schedule

This season, Texas faces a daunting schedule. Besides Ohio State, they play UTSA and Texas State, both bowl-eligible teams last season. Their conference games include road fixtures against Tennessee, LSU, and Texas A&M, along with home games against Florida and Ole Miss. The annual neutral-site game against Oklahoma adds further complexity.

Three of these teams participated in the Playoff last year. LSU and Tennessee are anticipated to improve. Florida, boasting a consistently strong roster, defeated Texas last season.

Conclusion

Facing Texas Tech does not enhance Texas’ playoff credentials. A potential loss would harm their reputation more than a win would help. Maguire’s bold remarks likely stem from knowing a match is improbable and a desire to boost his team’s schedule difficulty.

While the SEC receives criticism for lighter schedules, Texas’ situation underlines the exaggeration of such claims. The imagined Texas versus Texas Tech game is unlikely to happen. The risks of an additional loss outweigh the benefits, given potential CFP implications.