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There have been some ups and downs for the Texas Tech Red Raiders this offseason, and a lot of headlines coming out of Lubbock, but as we inch closer to the start of the 2026 season, one thing remains clear: Cody Campbell's team has a great chance at making it back to the College Football Playoff and taking a run at the national championship game.
Of course, some things need to bounce the right way in order for that to happen. Between injuries, coaching, and offensive production, there are several things that can derail any team's season. For the Red Raiders, there are three major "what ifs" that ESPN's Bill Connelly broke down in order for them to be competitive at the highest level this season.
It starts under center at the quarterback position.
After the entire Brendan Sorsby saga went down earlier this offseason, it left the Red Raiders to rely on their backup plan, with Will Hammond now stepping in as the starting QB following his recovery from a torn ACL. While Texas Tech can likely rely on its defense to get back to the CFP, it will need a productive offense at the ready if it is to chase a championship.
"Texas Tech romped through Big 12 play and enjoyed its first 12-win season almost despite the quarterback position, not because of it," Connelly writes. "And in a small sample, sophomore Will Hammond produced better numbers than 2025 starter Behren Morton. But Hammond is rushing to return from a knee injury, and sometimes small samples are misleading. Tech is a massive unknown here, which is, of course, why coach Joey McGuire embarked on the ill-fated pursuit of Brendan Sorsby in the first place. Tech is still a Big 12 favorite with mediocre QB play, but can Hammond top Morton's 2025 play?"
If Hammond can be even an average quarterback in 2026, then the Red Raiders might be tough to beat. Of course, the other side of that equation is the defense, where expectations are high, but the floor for production as a team might be low if they fall short.
After replacing some major names like David Bailey, Lee Hunter, and Jacob Rodriguez, the Red Raiders will need to reload and hope that the new guys can be just as good.
"McGuire and the Raiders lost most of last season's dynamite front six but replaced it with some of the best portal stars available, including edge rushers Adam Trick (Miami Ohio), Trey White (San Diego State) and Jamond Mathis (Kent State), tackles Julien Laventure (Akron) and Bryce Butler (Washington) and linebackers Austin Romaine (Kansas State) and Corey Platt Jr. (Houston). I'm giving this batch the benefit of the doubt, but Tech's front was so good last season, and the standard is ridiculously high, especially if the QB play doesn't improve."
As always, Texas Tech should have the talent in order to compete at a high level. They utilize the transfer portal as well as any team in the nation, and have the cards set up for another successful season in Lubbock. At this point, it's just about whether or not Joey McGuire can get them back to the postseason and hope things fall the right way.
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This article originally appeared on Red Raiders Wire: What needs to go right for Texas Tech to chase championship in 2026?
