We are just weeks away from the college football season kicking off, and if there was ever a doubt that Joey McGuire was embracing Texas Tech as the “evil empire” of college football, well, think again. McGuire reportedly said recently during a meeting, “We’re the most hated team in college football. And I absolutely love it,” according to On3.
Now, this is exactly the angle McGuire should be taking. Tech fans seem to be embracing it. So their head coach should as well. I do find irony in Texas Tech seemingly finding itself in the same position as the Texas Longhorns for so many years in the Big 12, who, of course, Texas Tech could not stand. But hey, it’s college football. Things come full circle.
Now, from a Big 12 perspective, many other fan bases may already be sick of the Red Raiders, but trust me, this is good for the conference. Having a program hated by SEC and Big Ten fanboys is fantastic for this league. And for Big 12 fans around the country, you should be OK with Texas Tech winning a bunch of games, except for when they play your team. The better Texas Tech is, the better it is for the Big 12, and then when your team, hopefully, beats the Red Raiders, it lifts your favorite program to the next level, too. And that, hopefully, allows resources to continue to pour in to build up your team in future seasons. Donations flow in. Attention comes from around the country. Everybody wins. A rising tide lifts all boats. That’s the goal here. Or it should be, for the Big 12.
Now, it is true that Texas Tech has only won one Big 12 Championship. It would benefit them to stack up at least a couple in a row before embracing the villain status, but everything got expedited this offseason due to the Brendan Sorsby fiasco. And the Big 12 has been looking to find that villain for a while.
Deion Sanders, for all his bluster, never really fit the billing. Utah fans wanted to turn the Utes into that team, but it hasn’t really happened. BYU? Eh, that’s a niche target audience that doesn’t care for the Cougars. Enter: The Red Raiders. Cody Campbell has become the most-talked-about booster in college football. It’s all come together. And while it’s driving Big 12 fans nuts, know that this is actually in your best interests.
But now, let’s buckle the chin straps, get to the games, and sort it all out on the field.
