Texas Tech Claims Big 12 Title

ARLINGTON— In the first match up of Saturday’s Power Four conference championship slate, BYU and Texas Tech squared off for the Big 12 title under the bright lights of AT&T Stadium. The teams had met once already this season in early November, a game the Red Raiders controlled from start to finish. BYU entered this rematch hoping for redemption, and fighting for a spot in the college playoffs.

While the game was important for both teams, it was do or die for BYU. Currently sitting the 11 seed, the outcome of this game would almost certainly determine if they made it into the expanded college football playoff, or were left out. While the bracket is set for 12 teams, only the top 9 or 10 seeds will make it in, leaving the left over spots to the non top-10 ranked conference winners. 

What began as a competitive, tightly contested first half quickly dissolved into a Texas Tech runaway. BYU opened the afternoon with a defensive stop and then delivered a commanding 90-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 10-yard scoring run from LJ Martin, showing early that BYU came to compete. But the Red Raiders wasted no time stealing momentum right back. They responded with back-to-back scoring drives, a touchdown followed by a field goal, with a BYU three-and-out between the two. From that point forward, Texas Tech never gave up control.

The 60 passing yards Tech allowed on BYU’s opening drive exceeded the Cougars’ total through the entire rest of the game. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier, sharp in the first drive, struggled heavily as the Red Raider defense tightened. After going 5 for 7 with 60 yards on the opening drive, he finished 11-for-20 with just 55 passing yards after the opening possession, and threw two costly second-half interceptions, one of which led to a Texas Tech touchdown. BYU’s offense, which showed early promise, was silenced by Texas Tech’s pressure packages and physical secondary play.

On the other side of the ball, the Red Raiders found a rhythm that BYU couldn’t stop. Their offense operated with balance and poise, mixing efficient throws with a strong ground attack. As the Cougars’ continued to turn the ball over, Texas Tech capitalized repeatedly, extending their lead and draining BYU’s energy. What had looked to be a high-stakes contest, evolved into another blowout, the second this season in this match up. Texas Tech ended up taking it, 34-7 after 31 unanswered point

With the victory, the Red Raiders not only claimed their first Big 12 championship in program history, but essentially all but secured one of the top four seeds in the College Football Playoff and the first-round bye that comes with it. BYU, meanwhile, finds itself on the outside looking in, its playoff dreams fading away and now needing a miracle of events, as well as a favorable nod from the College Football committee. 

For Texas Tech, today was a step in the right direction. For BYU, it was a harsh reminder that they may still be a bit away from competing at the level of a playoff team.