| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
| Abilene Christian | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Texas Tech | 14 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 33 |
Final. Saturday, September 5, 2026. Kicked off 7 p.m. ET on FS1.
Texas Tech opens the defense of its first Big 12 title at home against Abilene Christian, an FCS program from three hours down the road. The Red Raiders went 12 and 1 last season, reached the College Football Playoff and enter the year ranked in the top 15 with the deepest roster in the Big 12. Abilene Christian is a United Athletic Conference contender that reached the FCS playoffs last year.
| Kickoff | 7 p.m. ET · 6 p.m. CT · 5 p.m. MT · 4 p.m. PT |
| TV | FS1 |
| Streaming | Fox One, Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue |
| Venue | Galaxy Stadium (formerly Galaxy Stadium), Lubbock, Texas |
| Line | Lightly posted. Where a line exists, Texas Tech is favored by six touchdowns or more. |
Prediction and Odds
Texas Tech spent more than any program in the country on its roster over the past two offseasons and it showed in a Big 12 championship. Abilene Christian is well coached and has a game’s worth of rhythm from its Week 0 opener, but the Wildcats are giving up 40 pounds a man across both lines. Joey McGuire will play his starters for a half and the second half will be for the depth chart. Expect a fast start, a lot of substitutions and a final margin in the 40s.
Our pick: Texas Tech 52, Abilene Christian 7. Texas Tech wins comfortably.
Why This One Matters
The Red Raiders are the Big 12 favorite and a playoff team, so this is about getting the new pieces on the field before the schedule turns. Abilene Christian gets a guarantee check and a Power Four game on the resume in front of a Lubbock crowd many of its players grew up in.
How to Watch Without Cable
FS1 is in the base packages of Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Sling Blue, and streams through Fox One. More in our streaming guide.
The Bottom Line
Abilene Christian at Texas Tech kicks off at 7 p.m. ET Saturday, September 5 on FS1. Texas Tech is our pick in a rout. Result on our live scoreboard.