Sports

Texas Tech Coach Fuels College Football Debate By Attacking Notre Dame Without Facts

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Joey McGuire attacks Notre Dame over scheduling.

© Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images / © MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images


The initial College Football Playoff rankings dropped after Week 10 of the 2025 season. Both Notre Dame and Texas Tech found themselves firmly positioned inside the Top 10.

Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire does not believe the Irish are deserving of that rating. He believes they’ve been put on a pedestal despite a lacking strength of schedule.

This debate is one that often circulates come postseason. Notre Dame’s status as an independent is a point of contention. McGuire suggested that they need to join a conference in order to be more highly respected.

He shamed the college football power, though his words are now being scrutinized.

Joey McGuire attacked Notre Dame.

Texas Tech just took down a Top 10 opponent in conference rival BYU. The Red Raiders looked dominant in that performance, stymying the Cougars’ offense in a 29-7 win.

While praising his latest victim, he went after a potential College Football Playoff opponent.

“I have so much respect for BYU,” he said while addressing the media. “I was really excited whenever they joined the Big XII… I have a lot of respect for them entering a conference and not playing an independent schedule, like other people.

“Y’all already know who that is… The (Cougars) are earning their right just like everybody but a couple of people in the nation through conference play and playing in some really tough places.”

The comments struck an immediate divide amongst listeners.

The Irish have played a tougher schedule than BYU and Texas Tech.

Conference affiliation is not the end-all-be-all. Most view the Big XII as either No. 3 or No. 4 in terms of Power 4 conference strength.

Last year’s league winner, Arizona State, was ranked 12th in the final CFP rankings. That was behind four Big Ten teams, four SEC teams, two ACC teams, and a Mountain West member.

This year, the top of the league appears a bit stronger. Texas Tech, BYU, and Utah were each positioned in the Top 15 of the first CFP rankings release. That was even with the Big Ten and above the ACC.

Still, when looking at overall strength of schedule rankings, Texas Tech sits well below many of its fellow College Football Playoff contenders.

The Red Raiders come in at No. 48 on ESPN’s SOS ratings. They are much higher at No. 22 on TeamRankings’ list.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, sits at No. 30 (two spots behind BYU), and No. 9 (16 spots ahead of BYU) in those polls, respectively.

The Fighting Irish have a loose affiliation with ACC football. They play six ACC schools this year. They filled the rest of the schedule with a pair of SEC foes, two Big Ten opponents, Navy, and Boise State.

Texas Tech plays its typical Big XII slate with the additions of FCS Arkansas Pine-Bluff, 3-6 Kent State, and 2-8 Oregon State.

That makes nine P4 opponents for the Red Raiders and 10 for the Irish. Texas Tech played as many FCS foes in 2025 as Notre Dame has in its entire football history.

ESPN says that each team’s remaining schedule is comparable with Texas Tech’s future SOS at No. 61 and Notre Dame at No. 66.

The Irish have the more difficult path. The metrics prove it. It is not a debate, even if Joey McGuire tries to make it one. College Football Playoff inclusion, however, is a different story.

Texas Tech has better wins than Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish bolstered their schedule with a pair of season opening games vs. Miami and Texas A&M. They lost both. To this point, the team’s top win is over No. 19 USC at home.

The Red Raiders, meanwhile, demolished both No. 7 BYU and No. 13 Utah, with one coming on the road. They have the better resume.

Should Texas Tech make the Big XII Championship Game, it will have earned its College Football Playoff bid. Questions still surround Notre Dame’s postseason pursuit, though.

The combine opponent record of the team’s wins is 30-35. Quality wins are lacking. They’ll have just one more opportunity to improve the resume with an upcoming game vs. No. 24 Pitt.

Strength of record is equally as important as strength of schedule. Notre Dame hasn’t beaten a potential CFP contender. Texas Tech has.

Last year, those metrics were criticized. Indiana made the field after playing just two Big Ten teams with a winning record. SMU boasted a similar resume.

As a result, the committee vowed to weigh scheduling more heavily. Still, no evaluation can be perfect. Ohio State’s conference foes are 21-35 in Big Ten play this year.

Texas A&M’s SEC opponents are 8-27. The Aggies will play one team with a winning league record.

Those are currently the No. 1 and No. 3 ranked teams in the playoff hunt. Unlike Notre Dame, though, they have quality wins to help offset those opponent struggles.

Should the Irish win out, they will be rewarded for beating the teams they were supposed to and playing close in losses against the top two teams on the schedule.

This was likely more Joey McGuire’s point as Notre Dame has the luxury of playoff consideration despite not having to compete in a league race or play an extra championship game. His attack on overall scheduling, though, missed the mark.