A potential high-profile nonconference football series between Texas Tech and USC has fallen apart, according to sources who spoke with On3. The matchup, which had been under discussion for roughly six months, would have featured neutral-site games in Houston in 2027 and Las Vegas in 2028. However, those plans are no longer moving forward after USC recently withdrew from the negotiations.
The proposed series carried plenty of intrigue beyond the programs themselves. Most notably, it would have reunited USC head coach Lincoln Riley with his alma mater, Texas Tech, creating one of the more compelling coaching storylines of the nonconference calendar. Riley played quarterback for the Red Raiders before beginning his coaching career in Lubbock and eventually rising to national prominence at Oklahoma and USC.
Sources indicated discussions between the two schools had progressed over several months as both sides explored the logistics and financial framework of staging the games at neutral sites rather than on campus. Houston and Las Vegas were viewed as attractive destinations capable of drawing strong crowds, national attention and significant media interest.
Despite the momentum generated by the talks, negotiations ultimately stalled this week. One source described the status of the series in blunt terms, saying, “It’s dead.”
The collapse of the proposed agreement leaves Texas Tech searching for other future scheduling opportunities while USC continues to finalize its nonconference plans during a period of significant change in college football scheduling. With the Trojans now navigating life in the Big Ten, future scheduling decisions carry additional complexities related to travel demands and conference obligations.
Had the series come together, it likely would have been one of the most anticipated nonconference matchups of the late 2020s, particularly given Texas Tech’s rising profile under Joey McGuire and the built-in storyline surrounding Riley’s ties to the Red Raiders. Instead, what appeared to be a promising home-run neutral-site series has come to an abrupt end before contracts could be finalized, closing the door on a matchup that would have generated substantial interest across the college football landscape.
Now for Texas Tech, which has been criticized for its softer non-conference schedule, it’s back to the drawing board as they try to seek solid Power 4 opponents to play early in the season.
