Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech, TCU set for Thanksgiving night on ESPN
May 12, 2026 | Football
Kickoff for the Battle for the Saddle Trophy has been set for 7 p.m. CT on Nov. 26
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech learned its second game time for the 2026 season Tuesday as the Thanksgiving kickoff between the Red Raiders and TCU is slated for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. The game time and network designation were revealed Tuesday during Disney's annual upfront presentation in New York City.
Texas Tech and TCU will be the lone college game played on Thanksgiving Day, giving the Red Raiders another prominent national television window in their regular-season finale. FOX previously announced last week the Sept. 18 Big 12 Conference opener versus Houston will similarly kick at 7 p.m. CT inside Jones AT&T Stadium in front of a national Friday night audience.
TCU represents the first Thanksgiving Day opponent to visit Jones AT&T Stadium since Arkansas edged the Red Raiders, 17-14, to close out the 1977 regular season. The Red Raiders aren't strangers to Thanksgiving night matchups, however, as Texas Tech previously faced Texas in Austin back in 2015, knocking off the in-state rival thanks to 372 passing yards from Patrick Mahomes II, 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns from DeAndre Washington and a late trick play from Jakeem Grant that sealed the win.
The Red Raiders will be looking to bring back the Saddle Trophy in what will be the 68th all-time meeting in the series. Texas Tech leads the series 33-31-3 overall, which includes a 3-0 mark in Thursday night matchups since TCU joined the Big 12 in 2012.
The Battle for the Saddle Trophy matchup could possibly have Big 12 Championship implications as the Red Raiders will be looking to get back to AT&T Stadium in Arlington for a second-consecutive season. ESPN's announcement Tuesday also unveiled the kick time and television designation for the Dec. 4 Big 12 Championship, which will air at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.
Additional game times and television designations for Texas Tech's first two non-conference opponents against Abilene Christian on Sept. 5 and at Oregon State on Sept. 12 will be announced later this month.
Texas Tech previously announced Monday it has sold out of its full allotment of football season tickets for the fourth-consecutive season. Red Raider Club members can exclusively purchase single-game tickets for all seven home games beginning Wednesday ahead of the general public on-sale date next Monday (May 18).
