Texas Tech scorches tortilla tradition

Texas Tech University put its foot down when it came to fans throwing tortillas.

Red Raiders athletic director Kirby Hocutt and head football coach Joey McGuire said Monday at a news conference that the school will “no longer going to encourage nor permit the throwing of tortillas” at the opening kickoff of their games. It would put the final nail in the coffin of the school’s unofficial tradition that dates back to the 1990s.

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Texas Tech students throw tortillas before the NCAA college football game against Kansas, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.  (Annie Rice/AP Photo)

“We know that as Red Raiders, no one tells us what to do. We make our own decisions,” Hocutt said, via ESPN. “This situation is on me. I leaned into throwing tortillas at the beginning of the football season. Now I must ask everyone to stop.”

Texas Tech felt the effects during their win over the Kansas Jayhawks earlier this month.

The Red Raiders were penalized twice for their fans throwing tortillas on the field during kickoffs. The Big 12 Conference attempted to curb the tradition when athletic directors voted 15-1 to approve a policy to discipline home teams for throwing objects onto the field.

Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire speaks with Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham before the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Sept. 20, 2025. (Rob Gray/Imagn Images)

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If the school should violate the Big 12’s amended policy, it would receive a warning and a $100,000 fine. Fans could lose their ticket privileges for all sporting events if they are caught throwing tortillas in the stands.

McGuire expressed his frustrations with the student body last weekend.

“Is that a Red Raider?” he said. “You came to the game and you love this team and you’re passionate about this team, but yet you’re going to throw another tortilla and you know it’s against the rules?”

A general view of tortillas on the sidelines thrown by the Texas Tech Red Raiders student body during the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field on Nov. 30, 2024. (Michael C. Johnson/Imagn Images)

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Texas Tech also cannot afford to lose any more games this season following an upset loss to Arizona State. The Red Raiders are No. 14 in the nation and will welcome Oklahoma State to Lubbock this coming weekend.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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