Texas Tech Booster Defends Friday Night Football Tradition

Cody Campbell argues that moving a Red Raiders game to Friday would disrupt the state's high school football culture.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:40pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a Texas high school football game, with the players, field, and crowd broken down into sharp, overlapping cubist shapes in a vibrant color palette, conceptually representing the deep cultural importance of these Friday night traditions.A cubist interpretation of the cultural significance of Texas high school football, which booster Cody Campbell argues must be protected from encroachment by major college scheduling decisions.Lubbock Today

Cody Campbell, a prominent Texas Tech booster, took to social media to clarify his stance on the potential move of the Red Raiders' September game against Houston to a Friday night. Campbell criticized Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and the conference for the idea, arguing that Friday nights are 'sacred' for high school football in Texas and would make it difficult for the team's large Dallas-Fort Worth alumni base to attend the game.

Why it matters

Texas high school football is deeply ingrained in the state's culture, and many fans and boosters view Friday nights as a time exclusively reserved for those games. Moving a major college football matchup to that time slot could be seen as disrespecting that tradition and create backlash from fans and donors.

The details

In his social media post, Campbell said he has a good relationship with Yormark but disagrees with the commissioner's apparent unilateral authority to make scheduling decisions without input from university presidents and boards. As of now, the Big 12 has not announced any changes to the originally scheduled Saturday, September 19 matchup between Texas Tech and Houston in Lubbock.

  • On April 3, 2026, Cody Campbell made his comments on social media.

The players

Cody Campbell

A prominent Texas Tech booster who recently raised $25 million to finance the Red Raiders' roster, which won the program's first Big 12 championship and made its first College Football Playoff appearance last year.

Brett Yormark

The Big 12 Conference commissioner, who Campbell said he has a good relationship with despite their disagreement over potentially moving the Texas Tech-Houston game to a Friday night.

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What they’re saying

“'I will re-iterate that Friday nights are sacred in Texas, and high school football is an integral part of our proud culture. It's different here than it is in other states. Texas Tech's alumni base is largely centered in the DFW area, which is 300+ miles from Lubbock. A Friday game puts enormous strain on their ability to attend the game.'”

— Cody Campbell, Texas Tech Booster

“'@brettyormark and I are friends and have a good relationship. We work well together on many fronts, and Texas Tech is very committed to the Big 12. Brett and I have had our disagreements, but I like the guy and respect his hustle.'”

— Cody Campbell, Texas Tech Booster

What’s next

As of now, the Big 12 has not announced any changes to the originally scheduled Saturday, September 19 matchup between Texas Tech and Houston in Lubbock.

The takeaway

This debate highlights the deep cultural significance of high school football in Texas and the potential backlash that could arise from scheduling major college games on Friday nights, which are traditionally reserved for those community-based programs. Texas Tech and the Big 12 will need to carefully balance their scheduling decisions with the expectations and preferences of the state's passionate football fans.