The college football power conferences are engaged in an intense competition, and LSU head coach Brian Kelly mentioned earlier this offseason that to reinforce its position as the top league in the sport, the SEC needs to form a scheduling alliance with the Big Ten. This will create annual nonconference match-ups. While these two powerhouse leagues are effectively securing their spots for College Football Playoff participation and championship contention, other conferences continue to fight for recognition. In defense of the Big 12, Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire called out Kelly and challenged LSU to a home-and-home series.

The imbalance among conferences is also a significant part of the conversation around expanding the CFP, especially as stakeholders are set to debate the playoff format for the 2026 postseason when a new media rights deal begins. The focus is largely on automatic bids while conferences compete to secure their positions within the college football hierarchy. In this context, McGuire states that conferences should “decide it on the field.”

“We’re sitting here talking about the playoffs; if you win the conference, you should be in the playoff,” McGuire emphasized during Big 12 Media Days. “It’s one of those situations where now we have cross-conference games. I’d love to see a home-and-home series with LSU. After we play, we can look at the rankings and assess everything then.”

Coaches have cautioned that high-profile nonconference games could disappear if teams lack playoff assurances. This means teams might avoid difficult opponents on future schedules to minimize loss risks in case automatic bids are not established. Ohio State’s Ryan Day has expressed similar sentiments ahead of the 2025 season opener against Texas, which will feature two championship contenders right from the start.

However, McGuire welcomes the challenge. Instead of avoiding strong competition to create an easier path to the playoffs, the Texas Tech coach embraces the chance for his team to compete against high-caliber opponents. Texas Tech is aiming for a strong position in the coming years, equipped with significant investments that led them to a successful offseason, capitalizing on transfer portal opportunities. With megabooster Cody Campbell, it seems Texas Tech is set to be a formidable player in the NCAA’s new NIL and revenue-sharing landscape.