For the first time since 1955, Texas Tech stands alone as conference champions. After decades of being overlooked and underestimated, the Red Raiders finally broke through, defeating No. 11 BYU 34–7 in front of a record crowd of over 85,500 to claim their first Big 12 title and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Texas Tech’s rise wasn’t luck—it was intentional. The staff leaned into the transfer portal, targeted elite line talent, and built a roster critics said was “bought.” Inside the locker room, the mindset was simple: if you’re going to buy a team, be the best one. On Saturday, they proved it.
The defense dominated, forcing four turnovers and capitalizing on two interceptions by linebacker Ben Roberts. Quarterback Behren Morton delivered big-play strikes to Reggie Virgil and former walk-on Coy Eakin as Tech poured on 34 unanswered points. BYU, who had averaged over 33 points in its FBS wins, managed almost nothing—just as it had in its first meeting with Tech earlier this season.
This performance wasn’t an outlier. All year, the Red Raiders have been one of the nation’s most complete teams, outscoring opponents by more than 34 points per game and finishing No. 1 in the Big 12 in total offense, total defense, scoring offense, and scoring defense. Over the past month alone, they’ve allowed just 23 total points.
What made the championship moment even sweeter was who delivered it: homegrown stars and long-term believers. Eakin caught two touchdowns in the same stadium where he once won a state title. Morton, a West Texas native, waited five years to lead a championship-caliber team. Roberts was the first recruit Joey McGuire brought to Lubbock.
When McGuire arrived, he asked his players to trust him and help build a new standard at Texas Tech. They did. And now, a major conference trophy—long thought impossible in Lubbock—is finally coming home.
Texas Tech will now await its CFP placement, likely earning a first-round bye and a quarterfinal matchup against Ole Miss or Texas A&M, potentially back at AT&T Stadium.
For players and fans, this win is generational.
“I’ve waited 20 years for this,” linebacker John Curry said. “Red Raider fans have waited their whole lives. To be part of the team that brings it back to Lubbock—it’s amazing.”
