Even though former quarterback Brendan Sorsby was obviously not on the field today for No. 8 Texas Tech, the Cincinnati Bearcats had this game circled on the calendar for nearly an entire year.

Call it a revenge game for what had taken place leading up to the 2026 season, or the Red Raiders finally running into a team that could present a viable challenge, this expensive roster that was assembled through the transfer portal ran into a buzz saw on Saturday afternoon.

The reality check for this Texas Tech football team took place in the first half, trailing 24-6 as both teams ran into the locker room after what was an eye-opening performance by the Red Raiders offense with two turnovers and just six points.

Cincinnati would end up winning 37-24, in a game that never truly felt close after the opening 10 minutes.

And, for a squad that could not afford a Big 12 loss like this with how BYU and Utah are currently playing, the uncomfortable truth is that head coach Joey McGuire had to rely on quarterback Will…