A road trip to Oregon State in Week 2. A Friday night home game against Houston right after that. And No. 23 TCU closing out the regular season on Thanksgiving night. The Texas Tech Football Schedule 2026 stacks its most-watched dates at both ends of the calendar.
Texas Tech Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | Abilene Christian Wildcats | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | 7:00 PM | FS1 |
| Sat, Sep 12 | at Oregon State Beavers | Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR | 7:30 PM | CBS/Paramount+ |
| Fri, Sep 18 | Houston Cougars | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | 8:00 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Sam Houston Bearkats | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | at Colorado Buffaloes | Folsom Field, Boulder, CO | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Arizona State Sun Devils (Homecoming) | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | at Cincinnati Bearcats | Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Arizona Wildcats | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 7 | West Virginia Mountaineers | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at Oklahoma State Cowboys | Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | at Baylor Bears | McLane Stadium, Waco, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Thu, Nov 26 | No. 23 TCU Horned Frogs | Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, TX | 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Big 12 Championship | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | 8:00 PM | ABC |
A Home Opener, Then a Trip to Oregon State
Texas Tech Football Schedule 2026 opens against Abilene Christian before a cross-country trip to Oregon State on September 12 — a genuine road test just two weeks into the season. Houston visits Galaxy Stadium for a Friday night showdown on September 18, one of the marquee home dates of the season, before Sam Houston closes out the month.
Colorado on the Road, Then Homecoming
A trip to Colorado opens October before a bye week on October 10 gives the Red Raiders time to recover. The Texas Tech Big 12 schedule 2026 then delivers Arizona State for Homecoming on October 17, followed by a road trip to Cincinnati.
A Manageable Home Stretch, Then Two Tough Road Tests
Arizona and West Virginia both visit Lubbock in consecutive weeks before Texas Tech hits the road for Oklahoma State and Baylor in back-to-back games — a demanding two-week stretch heading into the season’s final act.
Thanksgiving Night: Texas Tech vs TCU 2026
The regular season closes on Thanksgiving night, with No. 23 TCU visiting Galaxy Stadium on November 26 for a nationally televised showdown on ESPN. If Texas Tech is still playing December 4, it’s in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between Oregon State, Houston, and the closing Oklahoma State-Baylor-TCU stretch, Texas Tech’s schedule saves its heaviest workload for the final month. The Texas Tech football home games in 2026 include a signature Thanksgiving night matchup, but how the Red Raiders handle back-to-back road games against Oklahoma State and Baylor first will decide whether that finale carries real stakes.
FAQ
Q: When does Texas Tech play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: Texas Tech Football Schedule 2026 opens at home against Abilene Christian on Saturday, September 5, at Galaxy Stadium.
Q: When is Texas Tech vs TCU 2026?
A: Texas Tech vs TCU 2026 closes the regular season on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 26, at home at Galaxy Stadium, kickoff at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Q: How many home games does Texas Tech play in 2026?
A: Texas Tech has eight Texas Tech football home games in 2026 at Galaxy Stadium: Abilene Christian, Houston, Sam Houston, Arizona State, Arizona, West Virginia, and TCU.
Q: What is Texas Tech’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The back-to-back road games against Oklahoma State and Baylor — November 14 and November 21 — are the toughest stretch on the Texas Tech Big 12 schedule 2026, right before the Thanksgiving night finale against TCU.
