Texas Tech’s McGuire would “love to play LSU”

Jul 8, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire addresses the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

By Hunt Palmer

Anyone up for a trip to Lubbock?

Probably not. But Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire invited Brian Kelly and LSU to Texas Tech as part of a home and home.

McGuire was addressing a throng of reporters at Big 12 Media Day as part of a coaches round table and mentioned Kelly’s quote about LSU playing Big 10 teams annually out of conference.

“I saw Brian Kelly say he’d love to play a Big Ten team,” McGuire said. “Hey man, I would love to play LSU a home and home series.”

#TexasTech head coach Joey McGuire during the coaches round table here at Big 12 Media Day.

“I’d love to play a Big Ten team, I’d love to play LSU in a home-and-home series.” pic.twitter.com/yubwBd6dG5

— Jarrett Ramirez (@JarrettDRamirez) July 8, 2025

The Big 12 is doing everything it can to prop itself up during the offseason. Commissioner Brett Yormark did away with the preseason poll this year because he felt the league’s 2024 champion, Arizona State, was adversely affected by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee after being picked 16th last season.

In this case, McGuire grabs some headlines and makes a conference without a national power look like it’s doing everything it can to schedule powers without any luck.

It’s been 17 years since Texas Tech won 10 games. Maguire is 23-16 overall in his time at the helm of the Red Raider program.

LSU last played Texas Tech in the 2015 Texas Bowl. Despite Patrick Mahomes under center for the Red Raiders, LSU won 56-27 and ran for 377 yards and seven touchdowns that night in Houston.

McGuire was a high school coach in Texas at the time. His line on Tuesday is an admirable look for a conference dangling on the edge of relevance.

I’d support a home and home with Texas Tech as something fresh that doesn’t involve the massive risk play at Clemson presents in eight weeks. Texas Tech doesn’t project to send four players into the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

That said, I doubt a 225 area code comes calling Lubbock any time soon, though.