Josh Pate had no problem calling out the AP Poll voters this week after the latest rankings dropped, showing Alabama ranked ahead of Texas Tech despite what he called a “clear disconnect” between on-field performance and brand bias.
On his show, Josh Pate’s College Football Show, the national analyst roasted the pollsters for putting the Crimson Tide at No. 8 while slotting the Red Raiders just behind them at No. 9, even though Alabama has a loss and Texas Tech remains unbeaten with multiple blowout wins.
“Texas Tech’s beaten everyone they’ve played by 24 or more,” Pate said during the segment. “They went into Utah and destroyed them. Houston was undefeated coming into yesterday, and they destroyed them. They suffocated them.
He’s not wrong. Texas Tech has put together one of the most complete starts in the country, steamrolling its competition behind quarterback Behren Morton and a defense that has looked faster and more physical than at any point in recent memory. The Red Raiders’ wins haven’t just been convincing, they’ve been commanding, the kind that leave little doubt about who the better team is on the field.
Meanwhile, Alabama’s ranking continues to be the latest example of legacy bias creeping into early-season polls. The Tide dropped a game early and has struggled to find consistency on offense, yet voters appear more comfortable clinging to the program’s reputation than evaluating the current product. That double standard is exactly what Pate has spent years criticizing, and he used this week’s rankings as another opportunity to drive that point home.
“Texas Tech’s sitting there at nine, huh?” Pate asked. “And ‘Bama, with a loss, is above them at eight. That’s fascinating.”
For Red Raider fans, it’s a familiar story: national media hesitating to buy in until there’s simply no other choice. But for Pate to take such a public stance on it carries weight. His show has become one of the most respected independent voices in college football, and when he says a program is being shortchanged, people listen.
As Big 12 play continues, Texas Tech will have every chance to prove Pate right on the field. If the Red Raiders keep winning the way they have, no amount of brand bias will be able to keep them out of the national top tier for long.
