Texas Tech has enjoyed a joyous season with a 7-1 overall record and is within the top 5 in the conference. Their only loss came against Arizona State. However, their head coach, Joey McGuire, seems to give his all to secure wins against Oklahoma State, Kansas, Houston, and more. As the team gets ready to play a team that had a bumpy start but is now 4-4 after two wins, including a big 42-17 win against Kansas, the Raiders’ head coach has said his health is suffering.

On Monday’s press appearance, he didn’t hold back when McGuire was asked about the craziness of being a Big 12 coach in a league full of chaos. He said, “I don’t know the exact number, but I know Commissioner Yormark made point whenever he was on Game Day or if his own Barstool: there’s no conference that has more lead changes than the Big 12, and the fourth quarter. So most lead changes of any conference.” Then came McGuire’s own situation, saying, “Man, these games are taking years off my life. But I would not want other lives.”

Literally, winning a game takes more than just talent. It takes a coach’s mind and body entirely into the fight. Every player and assistant coach prepares, but the HC makes the final call. Texas Tech showed that in their latest 42-0 blowout over Oklahoma State. Under McGuire, the Red Raiders don’t just play. They dominated every inch of the field and made history. The defense was especially relentless, holding the Cowboys to just 182 total yards and keeping them off the scoreboard entirely.

Despite the strain on his health, Joey McGuire admitted there’s no shortcut to winning. He explained it simply: “Without doubt, it’s the most greatest thing in the world, you know, that how is every single week better have team prepared. You better understand, there’s going to be highs in game, there’s gonna be lows.” It looks like the HC is sharpening his focus ahead of the trip to Kansas State, boosting his confidence, and getting the team ready to give their all.

With Joey McGuire at the helm, the Red Raiders’ offense and special teams have also been making waves all season. But he knows overconfidence can crush even the strongest team. That’s why, as a huge boxing fan, he pointed to the legendary Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti fight as an example and told everyone to look it up because their game against Kansas State will be just like that.

“I am showing that team tomorrow that’s what games will be like,” said McGuire. “It’s gonna be body blows; it’s gonna be just a dirty fight for fourth quarters. That we expect. We gotta prepare ourselves.” Amidst all this, the Red Raiders have big hopes, as senior QB Behren Morton is set to return to the field Saturday against Kansas State. Before his leg injury, he had led the team to a 6-0 record.

While Texas Tech seems ready for battle, the concern across the Big 12 still lingers, with several coaches facing the risk of being fired.

Texas Tech’s conference has gone through a tough time

The 2025 CFB season turned into a thriller, not the kind any coach wanted to star in. By Week 3, UCLA had shown DeShaun Foster the door, and Virginia Tech followed suit with Brent Pry. Then came the shockwave. Once a national title hopeful, PSU stumbled to 3-3, and James Franklin paid the price. From there, the firings came like clockwork, and Florida dropped Billy Napier after Week 8.

One week later, LSU ended Brian Kelly’s run in Baton Rouge. While coaching firings were happening across the SEC and Big Ten, the Big 12 wasn’t exempt from the chaos either. Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy barely survived 2024 after a winless conference run. But things went from bad to worse fast this season. Starter Hauss Hejny broke his foot in the opener, and the Cowboys never recovered.

Following that, the winningest coach in Oklahoma State history, the man who once delivered nine AP top-20 finishes, finally ran out of miracles in Stillwater. Then, a historic home loss to Tulsa, followed by a 69-3 beatdown from Oregon, sealed Gundy’s fate.

Colorado’s Deion Sanders is feeling the heat as his squad sits at 3-5. Yes, the shine of “Prime Time” has dimmed, and patience in Boulder is wearing thin. But he’s not alone. Arizona’s Brent Brennan is on the hot seat. While the Big 12 has turned into a pressure cooker, with weeks still left in the season, anything can happen.