Texas Tech booster clashes with Big 12 commissioner over Friday night game

Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell, who sits as chairman of the school’s board of regents, had a social media joust with Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark over a Red Raiders football game that will likely move to Friday night during the upcoming season.

It may seem like a trivial fight over a game schedule, but Campbell, who has become one of the most prominent boosters in college sports, posted on X that the game between Texas Tech and Houston should remain as scheduled on a Saturday, Sept. 19.

Why? Campbell argued “Friday Night Lights” in Texas is “sacred” for high school football.

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Cody Campbell stands backstage during ESPN’s College GameDay at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, on Nov. 8, 2025. (John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

“Friday Night Lights are sacred in the Great State of Texas! It is absolutely absurd that the @Big12Conference and @FOXSports would consider scheduling @TexasTechFB and @UHCougarFB on a Friday night (October 18th)!! I know that @brettyormark is not a native Texan, but he’s been here long enough to know better! Come on, man!” Campbell posted, though it should read September – not October 18.

Yormark was asked about Campbell’s tweet, telling the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on Wednesday that, “Cody Campbell does not run the Big 12.”

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Yormark added that the league’s board and athletic directors approved to have 12 games per year not be played on Saturdays in order to raise Big 12 viewership. As a result, a Texas Tech game was expected to be one of them because of their standing in college football.

“Friday night Big 12 football games outperformed the Conference’s average rating by 64% in 2025,” Yormark added. “All of our schools are treated equally during the TV scheduling process and this game fits within our scheduling parameters. I am thankful that our TV partners provide us with these opportunities.”

Campbell continued to push back at Yormark, though, posting another tweet on Thursday that added another hot topic for Red Raiders football – their now-banned tortilla celebration.

The Big 12 banned the tortilla-tossing celebration at Jones AT&T Stadium, threatening fines to the university if fans continued to do so.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark gestures before the Big 12 Championship game between Texas Tech and BYU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 6, 2025. (John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

“Apparently Brett didn’t get the memo: EVERYTHING RUNS THROUGH LUBBOCK!!,” Campbell tweeted, referencing a famous phrase from head coach Joey McGuire, who was caught saying it in the locker room after a 2022 win over Texas. “Maybe we should bring the tortillas back??”

Campbell spoke with ESPN about Yormark, where he continued to take jabs at him.

“As commissioner, he needs to remember that he works for the presidents, and the presidents work for the boards,” Campbell told the outlet. “He is not the dictator of the conference. That’s not his role. It is his responsibility to advocate for his members in all cases.”

Campbell told the Avalanche-Journal that he feels it’s too late to change Texas Tech’s game against Houston, adding that it wouldn’t be good for the team considering their previous game is a trip to Oregon State on Sept. 12.

Cody Campbell stands on the field after the Big 12 Championship game between Texas Tech and BYU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 6, 2025. (John E. Moore III)

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Campbell has not shied away from addressing his mindset in college sports, especially when it comes to media rights. He has advocated for the conferences to combine their rights into one entity like a professional sports league, though he has seen serious pushback on that front. He was also a part of President Donald Trump’s “Saving College Sports” roundtable, which took place at the White House on March 6.

Campbell is a former Texas Tech offensive lineman who is responsible for co-founding the Matador Club, the NIL collective that has led the charge in revamping Texas Tech athletics in hopes of making them a powerhouse across all sports.

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