LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire is no stranger to Friday night football. After all, he led the Cedar Hill Longhorns to three state titles- 2006, 2013 and 2014. However, when it comes to the potential of moving Tech\u2019s home game with Houston (currently set for Saturday, Sept. 19) up one day, he would prefer to keep his Friday night football days behind him. <\/p>\n
Last week, Texas Tech Board of Regents chair Cody Campbell voiced his opposition to having the game played on Sept. 18 and was met with a rebuttal from Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark. During Monday\u2019s media availability, Coach McGuire was asked to weigh in with his perspective; and he says he understands both sides. <\/p>\n
\u201cI know it\u2019s great for ratings, and so it\u2019s awesome that our \u201cBrand\u201d is going to be the \u201cBrand\u201d on Friday night. I understand the TV part, I understand the money behind that, so I get all that and understand TV and our commissioner and the conference\u2019s stance, but we\u2019re forgetting too- we\u2019re going to put a lot on our fans to make sure we got that game sold out. But like, how much money are we losing in the city of Lubbock playing on Friday night?,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Last season, Fox Sports aired ten Friday night games involving teams from the Big 12. McGuire says he\u2019s not only concerned about how it affects the game at Jones AT&T Stadium, but the impact on other schools in the area. <\/p>\n
\u201cHow many people are going to be at the Frenship games, or at all of the Lubbock ISD games, Lubbock High, Lubbock-Cooper, Lubbock-Cooper Liberty if they\u2019re playing out of town, and then just any of our alumni outside of this area?,\u201d McGuire said. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure that Ratliff Stadium in Odessa still sells out every Friday night. Those lights are bright, and so it\u2019s different. It\u2019s totally different in this state, and so it\u2019s frustrating- and again, I understand the deal behind it, but I would much rather be playing on a Saturday in that game. I do think when we get to that point, we\u2019re missing a great opportunity.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Ole Miss-LSU game on Sept. 19 is widely expected to host ESPN\u2019s College Game Day next year in Oxford, Miss.- especially since it will be Lane Kiffin\u2019s return since he left the Rebels at the end of last season to accept the new coaching position in Baton Rouge, La. However, Coach McGuire says he still expects the Red Raiders- Cougars showdown to be a marquee matchup- just not on a Friday night, especially if there are other alternatives. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou should go ahead and put College GameDay wherever LSU-Ole Miss is playing that day. I mean, come on, we know where College GameDay is, right? Lane Kiffin against Ole Miss, I mean, you\u2019re going to put it there, but we\u2019re going to have a Top 25 matchup, and I could be totally wrong, you guys can look at it, but I don\u2019t think there\u2019s going to be a better game around the nation as a Top 25 matchup that should be on Big Noon in Lubbock, Texas, and we\u2019re missing that opportunity. Gaining an opportunity, of course, we may be one of the only games on Friday but missing an opportunity.\u201d <\/p>\n
Much like any pigskin purist, McGuire says every day of the week has its purpose for when the games should be played. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor me as a high school coach of 23 years, you play high school football on Friday night, you play college football on Saturday, you go to Church on Sunday, and you watch the NFL on Sunday, and I think that\u2019s how it should be, and I think we\u2019re all stepping on each other\u2019s toes in football, and it\u2019s going to catch up to us all as a group, NFL college and high school at some point.\u201d <\/p>\n
Spring football wraps up for the Red Raiders Friday, April 17 at Jones AT&T Stadium. The 2026 football season officially begins Sept. 5 when Tech welcomes Abilene Christian. <\/p>\n
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