
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The timing was serendipitous, and maybe Patrick Mahomes can pick up a little inspiration for a Chiefs run in the NFL’s second half.
The Kansas City quarterback is in Lubbock, Texas, for the gargantuan showdown on Saturday between No. 7 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech (11 a.m. CT, FOX).
It could create an awkward moment for either Mahomes or head coach Andy Reid when they reunite after the Chiefs’ bye in Kansas City next week. While Mahomes matriculated in the Red Raiders’ athletic department as a two-sport athlete, Reid was an offensive tackle at BYU from 1978-80. The future Hall of Fame head coach was a pitcher in high school, too.
And in good-natured fun, Mahomes and Reid have teamed up to encourage fans from both teams attending the game to champion youth literacy by donating new or gently used books at designated locations outside Jones AT&T Stadium Saturday.
Ahead of this week’s TOP 10 matchup, BYU alum Andy Reid & @TexasTech alum @PatrickMahomes are encouraging fans to team up to support Literacy Lubbock—bring a book to the Cougs Care tailgate before the game or donate at https://t.co/Lb4g6q2fBm! pic.twitter.com/zAYaak1CMd
— BYU (@BYU) November 5, 2025
That’s not the only reason to get to the game early. ESPN’s College GameDay will feature Mahomes as its guest picker. The three-hour show, which begins at 8 a.m. CT, airs right up to kickoff.
It’s the first time the show has aired from the Texas Tech campus since 2008, also the last time Lubbock hosted such a titanic game. That season, as Mahomes no doubt will recall , the No. 1-ranked Longhorns left town with a big L thanks to Michael Crabtree’s last-second touchdown catch.
There was never a chance Mahomes was going to miss this game. Not only did it align with the Chiefs’ bye week, it’s also the designated contest in which Texas Tech will wear customized Too Cold uniforms in partnership with Mahomes and adidas.
The combination includes the Red Raiders’ galvanized Mahomes Gladiator theme from last season. Mahomes’ Gladiator logo is prominently displayed on the chest while the quarterback’s surname is scripted inside the neck collar.
Accented with the school’s red, and galvanized with metallic-like numbers, the white jersey went on sale in September for Red Raiders and Chiefs fans. Consumers can visit adidas.com to order and ship the newest Mahomes look.
BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) and Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1) could be playing a preview of the conference championship game. They’ll mark the first meeting of top-10 teams in the Big 12 since 2021.
The Cougars are the last remaining undefeated team in the Big 12.
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