Jacob Rodriguez and Texas Tech’s high-priced defense delivered opportunity after opportunity, disrupting the Oregon Ducks’ dominant offense to put the Red Raiders in position to seize control of a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game.
But the offense never did.
Facing its stiffest test of the season, Texas Tech’s offense couldn’t match the urgency or execution of its defense, and the No. 4 Red Raiders’ impressive 2025 run ended in a 23-0 loss to No. 5 Oregon in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.
It was a sobering finish for a program on the rise — one that won 12 games this season en route to its first Big 12 Conference title and CFP berth.
The Red Raiders were hoping for so much more.
“We knew what we were able to accomplish,” said standout linebacker David Bailey, the national sacks leader with 14 1/2, including one on Thursday. ”The Big 12 championship wasn’t really the goal. We knew we could go further. We’ve got a lot of talent on this team. We’ve got a lot of pieces on this team. We expected a different outcome.”
The Red Raiders spent big this season to build a foundation capable of reaching this moment, but Thursday’s dud showed that Texas Tech doesn’t yet have the same firepower or polish of a program like Oregon, which played with the exact poise needed to win games on college football’s biggest stage.
The Red Raiders were rarely tested during the regular season, winning all 12 of their games by 20-plus points with the 54th-ranked strength of schedule, per ESPN’s College Football Power Index.
Texas Tech became just the third team in the history of the College Football Playoff to be held scoreless. Ohio State, which saw its title defense end Wednesday night against Miami, was shut out by Clemson in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. And Alabama blanked Michigan State 38-0 in the 2015 Cotton Bowl. Both were semifinals.
Still, Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire believes his team will be back.
“One thing I told them, and I truly believe it,” McGuire said, “When you do something that nobody’s ever done. … The standard is set. That’s where you start building something really special. This is going to hurt for a long time. I know these guys are hurting right now but can’t be more proud of my football team.”
The Red Raiders managed just 88 total yards in the first half, with two turnovers and just three first downs at halftime.
The sluggish first half was the worst for the Red Raiders this season and the first time they’ve been shut out in the first half of a game since 2021. They were the fourth team to be held scoreless in the first half of this year’s playoff.
On3 has reported Texas Tech’s NIL total to be about $28 million. That’s in addition to the revenue share of $20.5 million now allowed by the NCAA under the House settlement, and that total spending ranks second in the country behind Texas.
That money helped transform Tech into one of the nation’s top defenses, while matching the school record for wins.
“We’ll be back for sure,” said junior tight end Terrance Carter, who added he plans to return to Tech next year. “All we did was just set the standard for the next groups to come in. I don’t see us changing anything.”
Texas Tech entered Thursday ranked second nationally in points per game (42.5) but managed nothing on offense. The Red Raiders turned the ball over four times, were stopped on fourth downs two other times and had four three-and-outs.
Quarterback Behren Morton never appeared settled, completing 18 of 32 passes for just 137 yards. The senior was stripped by Oregon linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei early in the third quarter deep in Red Raider territory, and the Ducks scored their first touchdown of the game on the next play.
After Tech’s defense came up with an interception later in the third, Morton threw another interception, this time in the end zone to Ducks standout defensive back Brandon Finney Jr.
With a reported multimillion dollar roster and a billionaire booster, Texas Tech has the tools in place to be a formidable program in the future — it just needs to wait a little longer for that to happen.
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Great Job Alanis Thames, Associated Press & the Team @ KSAT San Antonio Source link for sharing this story.
