A look ahead to Saturday’s Big 12 Championship showdown between Texas Tech and BYU…
When: 11 a.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Records: No. 4 Texas Tech (11-1, 8-1); No. 11 BYU (11-1, 8-1)
Last meeting: Nov. 8, 2025
Sports Roundup
TV: ABC
What’s at stake?
No. 11 BYU may be left out of the College Football Playoff with a loss Saturday. The Cougars have lost once already to No. 4 Texas Tech. A win for the Red Raiders means 24 days of rest before the second round of playoff begins.
Texas Tech is riding a five-game win streak into Arlington. Over the stretch, the Red Raider defense has limited opponents to an average of 4.5 points per game. That stretch includes a 29-7 victory over BYU in Lubbock.
The winner Saturday is guaranteed a playoff spot, but the loser’s fate is in the hands of the committee.
When Texas Tech has the ball
Texas Tech kicked a program-record five field goals in its victory over BYU on Nov. 8. Head coach Joey McGuire does not want a repeat of that.
He preaches a list of keys to victory before each game, and of those now includes the “No Stone Zone.” Stone Harrington is Texas Tech’s kicker, and McGuire said he doesn’t want him on the field until an extra point attempt if the Red Raiders make it to the red zone.
The Red Raiders are 11-for-13 in red zone trips since. The effort is a result of lower-level opponents in 5-7 UCF and 4-8 West Virginia, so Saturday will be Texas Tech’s first red zone test since its first matchup with BYU.
Quarterback Behren Morton, who practiced without a boot for the first time Wednesday since Oct. 11, will lead the charge. He has only played the first half and change of both games because of the leads Texas Tech had.
Morton threw for a combined 459 yards and four touchdowns in the showings.
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When BYU has the ball
The last time BYU played Texas Tech, the Cougars didn’t score for three and a half quarters and running back LJ Martin was limited to 35 yards. BYU has scored twice in the first half of every game since, and Martin has recorded a 222-yard game and a three-touchdown game since.
Martin didn’t play at full health in the two teams’ first meeting, McGuire said. However, Martin’s job won’t be any easier as Texas Tech’s run defense remains the best in the country.
The Cougars will have to lean on true freshman Bear Bachmeier if the run game is limited again. Bachmeier has not had a breakout game since Oct. 25 against Iowa State, but he has stayed safe with the football. Besides an interception to Texas Tech, Bachmeier has not had a turnover since Oct. 11.
BYU turned the ball over four times against Texas Tech. It has turned the ball over two times in a three-game span.
Prediction
Texas Tech preaches a 1-0 mindset every week, but the Red Raiders know a Cotton Bowl bid could be attainable with a win. No Texas coach would turn down the opportunity to be the “home team” for a playoff game, so a victory brings more than hardware.
If Martin is limited, similar to the last game, Texas Tech walks away with a confident victory. The Red Raiders’ run defense has not faltered in the regular season, but if a hole is exposed in the championship game, it will hurt Texas Tech beyond Saturday.
Texas Tech’s offense is built for a shootout if Martin breaks free, so all the Red Raiders need Saturday is a few stalled drives to create an insurmountable gap.
Final score: Texas Tech 35, BYU 20
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