In a college football weekend dominated by marquee matchups like Alabama vs. Georgia, Kansas City Chiefs superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce had their sights set on another battle: the Texas Tech Red Raiders taking on the Cincinnati Bearcats.

With Mahomes a proud Texas Tech alum and Kelce repping Cincinnati, the two NFL icons didn’t hold back the friendly trash talk as they watched their former schools duke it out in a thrilling, high-scoring Big 12 showdown.

Texas Tech emerged victorious in the end, narrowly dodging Cincinnati’s upset bid with a 44-41 win. The Red Raiders sealed the game in dramatic fashion as Cincinnati kicker Nathan Hawks missed a 51-yard field goal attempt that would have sent the game into overtime as the clock expired.

For Mahomes, this was the perfect opportunity to poke some fun at his teammate, who could only react with disbelief at his Bearcats’ missed chance.

The game itself was a spectacle for fans of offensive fireworks. Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby put on a clinic, passing for a whopping 426 yards and four touchdowns with just one interception. On the other side, Texas Tech’s running back Tahj Brooks bulldozed through the Bearcats’ defense with 172 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton also stepped up, adding 251 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a clean sheet in the turnover department.

With the win, Texas Tech improved to 4-1, gaining momentum before facing tougher opponents like Arizona, Iowa State, Colorado, and Oklahoma State. Meanwhile, Cincinnati, now 3-2, is in for a challenging stretch of games against formidable teams like UCF, Colorado, Iowa State, and Kansas State.

While Mahomes now has the edge in their playful rivalry, he and Kelce would undoubtedly swap these college wins for another Chiefs victory on Sunday. Kansas City, off to a perfect 3-0 start after defeating the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Atlanta Falcons, heads into their first AFC West matchup of the season against the Los Angeles Chargers. Kelce, eager for a breakout performance, could use a strong game to kickstart his individual stats; through three games, he’s recorded eight catches for 69 yards and no touchdowns, a slow start by his high standards.

Really thought the bearcats were gonna find a way to win that one at the end… smh https://t.co/bY8X5HedAY

— Travis Kelce (@tkelce) September 29, 2024

A divisional showdown against the Chargers might be just the remedy Kelce needs. Last year, he put on a show against them, catching 12 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown. A similar performance could help Kelce shake off the sting of Cincinnati’s near-miss and, perhaps, silence some of Mahomes’ playful jabs—at least until the next college football season.