Don't bury Texas Tech just yet: Red Raiders should still be CFP contenders, even without Brendan Sorsby
Texas Tech ranks 12th in returning production and first in the Big 12 despite losing Brendan Sorsby to the NFL supplemental draft this week.
Much has been made about the Brendan Sorsby gambling saga as well as Texas Tech's handling of the situation, and for good reason.
The story took another dramatic twist on Monday evening when Sorsby and Tech decided to "mutually part ways," with the embattled quarterback declaring for the NFL Supplemental Draft.
Because of this, many college football pundits and fans are writing the Red Raiders off in their quest to return to the College Football Playoff, but I'm here to tell you to proceed with caution.
It would be prudent not to pour dirt on Texas Tech's chances of making a deep run in the CFP just yet, despite the loss of their multi-million-dollar arm.
Sure, Sorsby was an integral part of their plans this upcoming season, but the Red Raiders won't exactly be bereft of talent in 2026.
According to college football analyst Bill Connelly, Texas Tech ranks 12th in the country and first in the Big 12 in returning production from a team that went 12-2 and won their conference last year.
To supplement that returning talent, the Red Raiders signed a top-10 transfer portal class, and although Sorsby helped bolster that ranking, there are still plenty of key pieces to crow about in Lubbock.
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Head coach Joey McGuire completely restocked his defensive line with four-star transfers Adam Trick (edge rusher) and Mateen Ibiroga (interior defensive line), two players that were highly sought after by every power program in the country.
Speaking of an influx of talent, the Red Raiders welcome a top-20 recruiting class to campus this last cycle, featuring high-profile signees like offensive tackle Felix Ojo.
Ojo, a five-star according to 247Sports, represents the kind of athlete that has been scarce on Texas Tech's campus in the past several years, so expect him to contribute early and often.
Of course, all that incoming talent combined with returning production is great, but the question of signal caller still needs to be answered.
Redshirt sophomore Will Hammond will be expected to take the reins, and although he is coming off ACL surgery, the expectation is that he will be ready for the 2026 season.
Hammond had a great year as Behren Morton's backup, throwing for nearly 700 yards and seven touchdowns while appearing in five games before his injury.
A former four-star recruit from a few cycles ago, Hammond has the pedigree and enough experience to give Texas Tech some comfort after losing Sorsby.
I also don't foresee the Big 12 being much of a challenge for the Red Raiders in 2026, either.
Texas Tech ran roughshod over the league last season, winning the title and securing an automatic bid to the CFP in 2025.
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Their sole competition will be BYU, a team they aren't even scheduled to play in the regular season, and their lone blemish from last year, Arizona State, has to travel to Lubbock this fall.
Any way you slice it, the Red Raiders are set up for another conference championship and CFP run in 2026, with or without Brendan Sorsby.
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What they do once they get to the big dance remains to be seen, but I wouldn't count these guys out just yet.
The talent level is only rising in west Texas, so if it doesn't happen this year, Texas Tech will likely reload for 2027 and beyond.
The loss of Sorsby, as ugly as it was from a PR standpoint, is not a death knell for this program.
The Red Raiders aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
