{"id":102909,"date":"2025-12-28T17:37:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T17:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/102909\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T17:37:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T17:37:09","slug":"defense-got-texas-tech-to-the-cfp-are-red-raiders-ready-for-biggest-test-yet-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/102909\/","title":{"rendered":"Defense got Texas Tech to the CFP. Are Red Raiders ready for biggest test yet? | Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>DALLAS \u2014 The optimist\u2019s perspective of a four-month college football season and the playoffs that ensue suggest that the teams left alive to play for a championship have seen it all or done it all on the paths that led them there.<\/p>\n<p>The pessimist\u2019s perspective \u2014 or, save for maybe those who played the toughest schedules in the SEC or Big Ten, the realist\u2019s perspective \u2014 suggests that there are few ideal regular-season comparisons for the nation\u2019s elite teams that stand in the way of advancement.<\/p>\n<p>kAmxE\u2019D ?@E 2? F?6IA64E65 @C F?72:C A96?@&gt;6?2[ 6:E96C[ 3FE :E\u2019D E96 D:EF2E:@? E92E %6I2D %649 H:== 7:?5 :ED6=7 \ud83d\ude15 2D :E 4@?E:?F6D E@ AC6A2C6 7@C @?6 @7 E96 &gt;@DE :&gt;A@CE2?E 82&gt;6D \ud83d\ude15 AC@8C2&gt; 9:DE@CJ]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmw2G6 E96 #65 #2:56CD D66? D@&gt;6E9:?8 =:&lt;6 ~C68@?\u2019D 92C56?65 @776?D:G6 =:?6 E92E\u2019D 366? 2&gt;@?8 E96 ?2E:@?\u2019D 36DEn |2J36 q*&amp; @C &amp;E29[ 56A6?56?E @? H9@ J@F 2D&lt;] (92E 23@FE E96:C AC@;64E65 7:CDE\\C@F?5 A:4&lt; 2E BF2CE6C324 D276EJ r@=6 (:D?:6HD&lt;: 2?5 2 962A @7 AC2:D6 23@FE 9@H s2?E6 |@@C6 \ud83d\ude00 \u201c9:D @H? 492C24E6C]\u201d w@H 23@FE E96 E:89E 6?5 8C@FA E92E\u2019D D4@C65 5@F3=6\\5:8:E E@F495@H?D E9:D J62Cn %96 36DE 4@&gt;A2C:D@? E92E =:?6324&lt;6C q6? #@36CED 4@F=5 @776C H2D z2?D2D $E2E6\u2019D F?:E \u201c7C@&gt; AC6G:@FD D62D@?D]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(6\u2019G6 A=2J65 D@&gt;6 8@@5 E62&gt;D 7C@&gt; 2? @776?D:G6 D&lt;:== DE2?5A@:?E[\u201d 5676?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C $9:6= (@@5 D2:5 $2EFC52J 27E6C?@@?] \u201c%96D6 8FJD 2C6 2D AC@323=J 8@@5 2D 2?J E62&gt; E92E H6\u2019G6 A=2J65 282:?DE]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%92E\u2019D H92E 92AA6?D H96? E96 E2=6?E 2?5 AC@5F4E:@? 6G@=G6D :?E@ 2 36DE\\@?\\36DE H:E9 6:89E E62&gt;D =67E 2=:G6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 r@==686 u@@E32== !=2J@77 7:6=5] %92E\u2019D H92E E96 }@] c #65 #2:56CD W`a\\`X 2?5 E96 }@] d sF4:\u2019D w2C5 #@4&lt; $E25:F&gt; H:E9 2 EC:A E@ E96 ?2E:@?2= D6&gt;:7:?2=D @? E96 =:?6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmxE\u2019D ;FDE 2 &gt;2EE6C @7 H9:49 E62&gt;\u2019D AC6&gt;:6C F?:E 42? 4C62E6 E96 &gt;@DE D:K23=6 25G2?E286 @G6C E96 @E96C] q642FD6 E96 sF4:89E\u2019G6 366? 4=@D6C E@ 7@@=D 8@=5[ &gt;2J ?665 E@ 2D&lt; E96&gt;D6=G6D E96 D2&gt;6 BF6DE:@?D @7 4@&gt;A2C:D@? H96? E96J AC6A2C6 7@C %649\u2019D 5676?D6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%649\u2019D 5676?D6 &gt;2J :?2C8F23=J 36 E96 D:?8=6\\36DE F?:E \ud83d\ude15 E96 6?E:C6 A=2J@77 7:6=5 2?5 92D 366? C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E96 9:DE@C:4 A@DED62D@? CF?] %96:C he]h @G6C2== 8C256[ A6C !C@ u@@E32== u@4FD[ \ud83d\ude00 E96 ?2E:@?\u2019D 36DE] %96:C CF? 5676?D6[ A2DD CFD9 2?5 4@G6C286 8C256D 2C6[ E@@] %96J 2==@H65 ;FDE `f E@F495@H?D E@E2= E9:D D62D@? 2?5 @?=J E9C66 E@ C2?&lt;65 E62&gt;D] %96J 96=5 q*&amp; D4@C6=6DD 7@C E9C66\\A=FD BF2CE6CD \ud83d\ude15 E96 q:8 `a 492&gt;A:@?D9:A 82&gt;6 27E6C E96 r@F82CD E9C6H E96 &lt;:E496? D:?&lt; 2E E96&gt; @? E96:C 7:CDE 2?5 @?=J E@F495@H? 5C:G6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96J\u2019== &gt;66E E96:C @776?D:G6 4@F?E6CA2CED \ud83d\ude15 |:2&gt;: %9FCD52J 27E6C?@@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmxE\u2019D F?=:&lt;6 2?JE9:?8 E96 #65 #2:56CD 92G6 D66? J6E]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 sF4:89E 36 E96 4=@D6DE &gt;2E49 E@ E96 #65 #2:56CD \ud83d\ude15 E6C&gt;D @7 9:89\\=6G6= 32=2?46 24C@DD E96 3@2C5 @7 E96:C @776?D6] %96:C hb]_ @776?D6 8C256[ A6C !uu[ \ud83d\ude00 E96 E9:C5\\36DE \ud83d\ude15 E96 4@F?ECJ] %96:C A2DD:?8 @776?D6[ CFD9:?8 @776?D6 2?5 A2DD 3=@4&lt; 8C256D 2C6 6:E96C 7:CDE @C D64@?5] %96J DE62&gt;C@==65 y2&gt;6D |25:D@? \ud83d\ude15 E96 7:CDE C@F?5 \u2014 H9:49 #@36CED 24@H=65865 4C62E65 2 D=:89E 492==6?86 E@ =62C? 7C@&gt; 8:G6? E96 E2=6?E 82A 36EH66? E96 EH@ \u2014 2?5 H:== 3C:?8 2 564256\\A=FD EC24&lt; C64@C5 @7 6IA=@D:G:EJ 2?5 DA665 E@ E96 E23=6 282:?DE 2 5676?D6 E92E\u2019D F?56C8@?6 2 D:8?:7:42?E 7246\\=:7E \ud83d\ude15 @?6 J62C]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%96J\u2019C6 6IA=@D:G6[ E96J 42? CF? E96 32== C62==J H6==[ E96J 42? E9C@H E96 32== 5@H? E96 7:6=5 G6CJ H6==[ E96J\u2019G6 8@E 8C62E A6CD@??6=[\u201d (@@5 D2:5] \u201cx E9:?&lt;[ D496&gt;2E:42==J[ E96:C 4@2496D 5@ 2 8C62E ;@3 @7 4C62E:?8 2 =@E @7 4@?7=:4E 7@C J@F \ud83d\ude15 E96 CF? 82&gt;6 2?5 E96 A2DD:?8 82&gt;6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 #65 #2:56CD 3F==:65 4@&gt;A6E:E:@? 2E E96 =:?6 @7 D4C:&gt;&gt;286 E9:D D62D@?[ =65 E96 q:8 `a \ud83d\ude15 D246C:42? 6586 CFD96C \ud83d\ude15 s2G:5 q2:=6J H9@\u2019D \ud83d\ude15 =:?6 E@ 36 2&gt;@?8 E96 7:CDE 5676?56CD 5C27E65 E9:D DAC:?8] (@@5 D2:5 E92E ~C68@?\u2019D @776?D:G6 =:?6 \ud83d\ude00 \u201cG6CJ D:&gt;:=2C\u201d E@ &amp;E29\u2019D] {:?6324&lt;6C #@&gt;6==@ w6:89E 4@&gt;A2C65 :E E@ q*&amp;\u2019D] %9@D6 F?:ED DEJ&gt;:65 %649\u2019D 7C@?E D6G6? 36EE6C E92? 2?J@?6 6=D6 E9:D D62D@?] %96 #65 #2:56CD E@E2=65 ;FDE 7@FC D246D 282:?DE &amp;E29 2?5 q*&amp; 3FE 2G6C2865 ?62C=J 7@FC A6C 82&gt;6 \ud83d\ude15 E96:C @E96C ?:?6 4@?E6DED]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 sF4&gt;2?F6= !C68?@?X E92E 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 36 D6=64E65 \ud83d\ude15 ?6IE DAC:?8\u2019D }u{ 5C27E] %@A\\C2?&lt;65 x?5:2?2 H2D C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C D:I @7 E9@D6 D24kAm\u201cp== H6 42? 5@ \ud83d\ude00 8@ @FE 2?5 A=2J 8@@5 7@@E32== 2?5 A=2J 8@@5 32==[\u201d w6:89E D2:5] \u201c|2J36 H6 4@F=5 86E[ J@F @H[ e D24kAmx7 :E 8@6D @?6 H2J \u2014 =:&lt;6[ D2J[ :7 |@@C6 \ud83d\ude00 =67E F?E@F4965 2?5 8:G6? E:&gt;6 E@ @A6C2E6 H:E9:? E96 A@4&lt;6E \u2014 E96 82A 36EH66? E96 EH@ H:56?D] |@@C6 92D 2 ad\\E@\\e E@F495@H? E@ :?E6C46AE:@? C2E:@ H96? &lt;6AE 4=62? E9:D D62D@? 2?5 9:D A6C7@C&gt;2?46 H:E9 @C H:E9@FE 2 3=:EK \ud83d\ude15 9:D 7246 \ud83d\ude00 C6=2E:G6=J D:&gt;:=2C] w6 H2D AC6DDFC65 `e E:&gt;6D \ud83d\ude15 ~C68@?\u2019D =@DD E@ E96 w@@D:6CD 2?5 4@&gt;A=6E65 @?=J 92=7 @7 9:D A2DD6D F?56C 5FC6DD] p82:?DE y2&gt;6D |25:D@?[ H9:49 H2D DE2E:DE:42==J E96 D64@?5\\36DE 5676?D6 E92E E96 sF46 2?5 A2DD65 7@C ac_ J2C5D @? @?=J ab 5C@A 324<\/p>\n<p>kAm%:89E 6?5 z6?J@? $25:B[ 2?@E96C AC@;64E65 7:CDE\\C@F?5 A:4&lt;[ 42F89E 6:89E @7 |@@C6\u2019D E@F495@H?D E9:D D62D@? 2?5 H:== 36 E96 7@42= A@:?E @7 2 =:?6324&lt;6C C@@&gt; E92E :?4=F56D p==\\p&gt;6C:42? y24@3 #@5C:8F6K] %96 sF4AC@G6 36EH66? ?@H 2?5 %9FCD52J\u2019D 82&gt;6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(:56 C646:G6C tG2? $E6H2CE \u2014 H9@ 42F89E cg A2DD6D 7@C e`b J2C5D 2?5 d E@F495@H?D =2DE J62C \u2014 92D &gt;:DD65 E96 6?E:C6EJ @7 E9:D D62D@? H:E9 2 E@C? A2E6==2C E6?5@? 3FE 4@F=5 36 4=62C65 E@ C6EFC? 7@C E96 BF2CE6C7:?2= 82&gt;6] #65 #2:56CD 4@C?6C324&lt; qC:46 !@==24&lt; D2:5 E92E E96J\u2019G6 366? \u201cH2E49:?8 2 =:EE=6 E2A6\u201d @? E96 7@C&gt;6C 7:G6\\DE2C C64CF:E \ud83d\ude15 E96 :?DE2?46 E92E 96 5@6D DF:E FA]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmxE\u2019D ;FDE 2?@E96C HC:?&lt;=6 7@C E96 #65 #2:56CD E@ &lt;66A 2? 6J6 @?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm}@E E92E E96J\u20195 6IA64E 2?JE9:?8 =6DD E9:D 566A :?E@ E96 D62D@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%96J\u2019C6 8@:?8 E@ AFE E96&gt; \ud83d\ude15 ,72G@C23=6. D:EF2E:@?D[\u201d 2DD:DE2?E 9625 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thederrick.com\/ap\/sports\/defense-got-texas-tech-to-the-cfp-are-red-raiders-ready-for-biggest-test-yet\/mailto:4@249\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">4@249<\/a> 2?5 DA64:2= E62&gt;D 4@@C5:?2E@C z6??J !6CCJ D2:5] \u201c(6\u2019C6 8@:?8 E@ AFE @FCD6=G6D \ud83d\ude15 E96 D2&gt;6 E9:?8] %96J\u2019G6 8@E E@ AC6A2C6 7@C FD 2D H6==]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u00a9a_ad %96 s2==2D |@C?:?8 }6HD] &#8216;:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]52==2D?6HD]4@&gt;^Qm52==2D?6HD]4@&gt;k^2m] s:DEC:3FE65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EC:3F?64@?E6?E286?4J]4@&gt;Qm%C:3F?6 r@?E6?E p86?4J[ {{r]k^2mk^Am<\/p>\n<p>        &#13;<br \/>\n                                &#13;<br \/>\n                                &#13;<br \/>\n                            &#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n                            &#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n                            &#13;<\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2025 Tribune Content Agency.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n                            &#13;<br \/>\n                                &#13;<br \/>\n                            &#13;<br \/>\n                        &#13;<br \/>\n                        &#13;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DALLAS \u2014 The optimist\u2019s perspective of a four-month college football season and the playoffs that ensue suggest that&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34830,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[168,170,169,4490,154],"class_list":["post-102909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-lubbock","tag-lubbock","tag-lubbock-headlines","tag-lubbock-news","tag-national_sports","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}