Joey McGuire and his Texas Tech football team have a lot of folks interested in what is possible in Lubbock this season. The Red Raiders, coming off a decent season and building a ton of momentum through the Transfer Portal, have some really solid potential. Some think that a chance to make it to the College Football Playoff is right there for McGuire and Tech.
You can include ESPN’s Matt Barrie in that grouping. Barrie, who helps out in a variety of roles for ESPN, including some college football coverage (and very recently the 2025 Big 12 Media Days coverage) weighed in with some high praise for what McGuire and Texas Tech are capable of this season.
“Look, I think Texas Tech football has the chance,” Barrie said. “I said this to Joey McGuire when he was on set with us, I think they have the chance to be this year’s Arizona State.”
ESPN host Matt Barrie heaps a healthy helping of praise on Texas Tech while comparing Red Raiders to Arizona State Sun Devils
Last year’s Arizona State team was a stunning group that made it all the way to the College Football Playoff picture after suffering a couple of losses early on in the season (including to McGuire and Texas Tech) and then hitting a hot streak and riding that all the way through the Big 12 conference championship game.
And it seems like Barrie believes the Red Raiders can have a similar level of success this coming season.
“They’re going to be one of the teams we’re talking about is a favorite in the Big 12,” Barrie explained. “They can go out, win the league, get into the College Football Playoff and compete for a College Football Playoff [spot].”
That’d be a pretty great season. All of that? Stellar. Solid. It’d be, by far, the best season that McGuire has had in Lubbock so far.
But Barrie seems to believe more is possible.
“Maybe even a national championship in terms of what the talent level is,” Barrie said. “So, high expectations for Texas Tech, but I think they’re going to come out of nowhere, surprise a lot of people, and be one of the best teams in the Big 12.”
Can we not do the “national title” stuff yet? Please. That seems like a bit much.
It’s WAY too early for that.
Way too early. I’m comfortable with talking about competing for a spot in the college football playoff and talking about winning the conference. But much more than that seems a bit excessive, even with as talented as Texas Tech is this season.
That said, I will gladly welcome being proved wrong there. If Texas Tech finds a way to go compete for a national title, then I will welcome such success and shenanigans for the Red Raiders.