LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — All-America linebacker Jacob Rodriguez plans to watch some College Football Playoff games on television this weekend, just not the one that will determine who fourth-ranked Texas Tech will play in its CFP quarterfinal game at the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day.

The Big 12 champion Red Raiders (12-1) have a bye and wait to see if they will take on Oregon or James Madison, who meet Saturday night in the last of the four first-round games. Rodriguez will wait to watch the game film on the Ducks or Dukes.

kAm“x 5@?’E E9:?< E92E H2E49:?8 =:<6 2 %’ 4@AJ 96=AD >6 G6CJ >F49] x7 2?JE9:?8[ :E 8:G6D >6 =:<6 2 D<6H65 G:6H[ 3FE E92E’D ;FDE =:<6 2 A6CD@?2= AC676C6?46 E92E x 92G6[ ?@E9:?8 282:?DE 2?JE9:?8 E92E 4@>>6?E2E@CD 2C6 D2J:?8[” #@5C:8F6K D2:5 27E6C AC24E:46 (65?6D52J] “x 42? <:?5 @7 ;FDE 86E 2H2J 7C@> 7@@E32== ]]] 2?5 E96? <:?5 @7 8@ 2EE24< E96 H@C< E92E ?665D E@ 36 5@?6] }@H[ xV== H2E49 E96 @E96C 82>6D]”k^Am

kAm%96 #65 #2:56CD H:== 8@ 23@FE b `^a H666D[ 7C@> E96:C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^3:8\`a\492>A:@?D9:A\3JF\E6I2D\E649\D4@C6\h53a6337__f7g46ebf7ebe5fcef5ddgaQmbc\f H:? @G6C }@] `a q*&k^2m @? s64 e 7@C E96:C 7:CDE q:8 `a E:E=6 F?E:= E96:C 7:CDE ru! 82>6]k^Am

kAm%6I2D %649 A=2J6CD H:== 92G6 $2EFC52J @77[ E96? AC24E:46 $F?52J E9C@F89 2 H2=6 7@C r9C:DE>2D]k^Am

kAmu@FCE9\J62C 4@249 y@6J |4vF:C6[ H9@ 367@C6 E96 q:8 `a 492>A:@?D9:A 8@E 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^E6I2D\E649\>48F:C6\4@?EC24E\ge6h6`b4dah54g47h_dd4_6g57gd7d4dQm4@?EC24E 6IE6?D:@? E9C@F89 a_bak^2m 2?5 2 D:8?:7:42?E C2:D6[ D2:5 E96 #65 #2:56CD D@ 72C 92G6 H@C<65 @? 32D6 DEF77 E96J @H E96J H:== CF? ?@ >2EE6C E96 @AA@?6?E]k^Am

kAmpD 7@C E96 A=2J@77 82>6D E9:D H66<6?5[ |4vF:C6 D2:5 96 H:== 92G6 72>:=J 2E 9:D 9@>6 2?5 A=2?D E@ H2E49 6G6? E96 82>6 A=2J65 😕 ~C68@?]k^Am

kAm“(6V== H2E49 :E 2D 2 72>:=J[” 96 D2:5] “(6V== 92?8 @FE 2E 9@>6 2?5 H2E49 :E]”k^Am

k9amw62=:?8 |@CE@?k^9am

kAm|4vF:C6 D2:5 E96 8C62E 6?6C8J %649 92D 925 😕 AC24E:46 DE2CED H:E9 BF2CE6C324< q69C6? |@CE@? CF??:?8 2C@F?5] w6 >:DD65 EH@ 82>6D 3642FD6 @7 2 =@H6C =68 :?;FCJ 2?5 H2D 32?865 FA 367@C6 92=7E:>6 😕 EH@ @E96CD]k^Am

kAm“x 92G6?’E D66? 9:> CF? E96 H2J 96’D CF??:?8 😕 2 H9:=6[” |4vF:C6 D2:5] “w6VD 366? 3@E9 52JD 7F==\8@[ 2?5 FDF2==J H6 >@G6 9:> @FE @7 D@>6 DEF77] w6 =@@kAm|@CE@?[ H9@ >:DD65 E96:C @?=J =@DD 2E pC:K@?2 $E2E6 @? ~4E] `g[ E9C6H 7@C a`d J2C5D 2?5 EH@ E@F495@H?D 😕 E96 q:8 `a E:E=6 82>6 — 96 92D D6G6? %sD 2?5 ?@ :?E6C46AE:@?D 9:D =2DE 7@FC 82>6D] ~? E96 D62D@?[ 96 😀 a_`\@7\b__ A2DD:?8 Wq:8 `a\36DE efT 4@>A=6E:@?X 7@C a[ecb J2C5D H:E9 aa %sD 2?5 7@FC A:4

k9C ^m

kAmv6E A@== 2=6CED 2?5 FA52E6D @? E96 p! %@A ad E9C@F89@FE E96 D62D@?] $:8? FA k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2A?6HD]4@>^?6HD=6EE6CDQm96C6k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2A\?6HD=6EE6CDQm96C6k^2m Wp! }6HD >@3:=6 2AAX] p! 4@==686 7@@E32==i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^2A\E@A\ad\4@==686\7@@E32==\A@==Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^2A\E@A\ad\4@==686\7@@E32==\A@==k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^4@==686\7@@E32==Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^4@==686\7@@E32==k^2mk^Am







Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.