Joey McGuire at Texas Tech: Money buys expectations
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$4.55 million. This is the price Texas Tech paid Joey McGuire to get the Red Raiders to the number three seed in the College Football Playoffs. Of course, this does not consider the $20 million plus that Cody Campbell paid the players who signed as freshmen and out of the transfer portal.
The money for both will be higher in 2026 as McGuire was given a seven-year contract extension worth roughly $7 million per season plus even more through conference and playoff incentives.
During his first four seasons, McGuire went 35-17 with the Red Raiders. He also led Texas Tech to a Big 12 conference leading 24-8 conference record. In 2025, the team finished 11-1 in the regular season and won all their games by at least 20 points. Showing utter dominance, a team can build with a large booster behind the program.
It is no longer the days when only a few schools can get all the players. Talent is spread out thinner and more teams, with money to burn, are deciding to burn it on elite and proven players rather than freshmen.
McGuire and Texas Tech will be in the spotlight this season. When FanDuel Sports Book released its early future, Texas Tech was the only school in the country with a win total of 11.5. This not only shows the belief bettors will need to have to wager on Texas Tech, but it also shows what the betting market thinks of the rest of the Big 12 conference. And this will lead to more lofty expectations in Lubbock.
The one drawback with Texas Tech in 2025 was their quarterback. The defense was top five in the nation, and the offense was able to score. But it was not due to the consistency of the quarterback play, as two separate quarterbacks in Will Hammond and Behren Morton took snaps under center due to injuries to both at various points. In 2026, this will be different as Texas Tech found a spare $4 million the sofa cushions and bought themselves the best QB in the transfer portal. Brendan Sorsby, formally of the Cincinnati Bearcats, has made the trip south to west Texas.
More: Texas Tech makes Brendan Sorsby college football’s highest-paid QB
In doing so, he gave Joey McGuire the best arm available as the team looks to duplicate the success of 2025. While David Bailey will not be there to anchor the defense, Texas Tech made moves on defense this offseason as well as on offense, and if they have found even 75% of Bailey’s production the Red Raiders will once again waltz through Big 12.
This will be a year of determination for McGuire. If he can continue his trajectory, he will be well worth the new seven-year contract. If he starts falling backwards, he might be just one step from becoming the next coach with a large buyout not to work anymore. With the talent accumulation, the former is the better wager.
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