{"id":78651,"date":"2025-12-06T22:03:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T22:03:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/78651\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T22:03:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T22:03:16","slug":"what-texas-tech-coach-joey-mcguire-said-after-beating-byu-in-the-big-12-championship-game-deseret-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/78651\/","title":{"rendered":"What Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said after beating BYU in the Big 12 championship game \u2013 Deseret News"},"content":{"rendered":"

ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 For the first time in program history, Texas Tech has won the Big 12 championship.<\/p>\n

The Red Raiders pummeled BYU by a 34-7 score Saturday at AT&T Stadium, capturing the conference crown and essentially guaranteeing a first round bye in the forthcoming College Football Playoff.<\/p>\n

But even amid the championship celebration, Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire still elected to lobby for BYU\u2019s Playoff inclusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI truly believe that Big 12 deserves two teams in the playoffs,\u201d McGuire told reporters after the game. \u201cWhenever you look at BYU, they\u2019re 11-2, and their two losses are to the No. 4 team in the nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cMan, so much respect for Kalani (Sitake). That\u2019s a really good football team that I hope the committee looks at it, because there\u2019s gonna be 2-loss teams out there, but there\u2019s not gonna be an 11 (win) and 2-loss team. (BYU) did a great job throughout the season getting here.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the Cougars took a 7-0 lead on their first drive of the ballgame, Texas Tech responded with 34 unanswered points, bullying BYU in the second half to pull away for the blowout victory.<\/p>\n

The Red Raiders held the Cougars to 2.1 yards per carry and 200 total yards, forcing four turnovers as well and appearing every bit of the national championship contender they\u2019ve been heralded as.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe leadership on this team … I really ask a lot of them, you know, to bring all the new guys in and make them feel how special it is and how special our building is and how much we care about each other,\u201d McGuire said. \u201cI think consistency is the key. They get the same (head coach) every single day, they get the same coaching staff, and the one thing about us, the most important thing that we have is our players and everybody in our building.<\/p>\n

\u201c(The coaching staff\u2019s) job, their sole job is to help (the players) be the best version of theirselves. They feel that every day. We don\u2019t deviate. They get the same guys every single day, and I think whenever people started seeing that, they really started believing in what we were asking them to do and really became a special crew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) celebrates after a play against BYU during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"Texas Tech fans celebrate a touchdown surrounding two BYU fans during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU safety Tanner Wall (28) knocks the ball loose from Texas Tech running back J’Koby Williams (20), but it is recovered by another Texas Tech player during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU safeties Tanner Wall (28) and Faletau Satuala (11) down Texas Tech running back J’Koby Williams (20) during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"Texas Tech fans hold up a sign of linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) during the Big 12 championship game against BYU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) runs toward the sidelines after his pass was intercepted by a Texas Tech player in the third quarter of the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (2) winds up for a pass during the Big 12 championship game against BYU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"A BYU fan reacts after a play against Texas Tech during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) winds up for a pass during the Big 12 championship game against Texas Tech at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"A lone Texas Tech Red Raiders fan celebrates a play amid BYU fans during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"Texas Tech defensive lineman E’Maurion Banks (8) celebrates after a play against BYU during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa (57) hugs coach Sione Po’uha after Texas Tech Red defeated BYU in the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire hoists up the Big 12 championship trophy after the Red Raiders defeated BYU in the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU director of athletics Brian Santiago, left, hugs head coach Kalani Sitake after Texas Tech defeated BYU in the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU running back LJ Martin (4) runs the ball against the Texas Tech defense during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire adjusts his headset between plays during the Big 12 championship game against BYU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU cornerback Therrian Alexander III (1) tries to down Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey (8) during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU running back LJ Martin (4) celebrates his touchdown during the Big 12 championship game against Texas Tech at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa (57) celebrates after a play against Texas Tech during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU wide receiver Parker Kingston (11) slips away from Texas Tech linebacker John Curry (6) as he runs the ball during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) runs with the ball as he\u2019s pursued by Texas Tech Red linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU head coach Kalani Sitake high-fives tight end Carsen Ryan (20) after a play during the Big 12 championship game against Texas Tech at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker (16) is slow to get up after a play while Texas Tech offensive lineman Howard Sampson (79) and quarterback Behren Morton (2) celebrate after the Red Raiders scored a touchdown during the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU fans cheer as the team leaves the field during warm ups before the Big 12 championship game against Texas Tech held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News \"\"BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) prepares to pass as he warms up with his teammates before the Big 12 championship game against Texas Tech held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News <\/p>\n

With the victory, Texas Tech also notches its first 12-win campaign in school history. Assuming the Red Raiders secure a first round bye, they would only need three more wins to bring a national championship to Lubbock.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so proud of this team. I think we\u2019ve got the best coaching staff in the world. We\u2019ve got the best administration staff in the world. We\u2019ve got the best fans in the world,\u201d McGuire said.<\/p>\n

\u201c… I can\u2019t wait to see where this committee is going to put us tomorrow. We\u2019re looking forward to the bye, you know, we\u2019re hoping and expecting that\u2019s where we\u2019ll be. We\u2019re football banged up, and if you let us get healthy, man, I really believe we\u2019ve got another gear.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 For the first time in program history, Texas Tech has won the Big 12 championship.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":78652,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[150,152,151,794,154],"class_list":{"0":"post-78651","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arlington","8":"tag-arlington","9":"tag-arlington-headlines","10":"tag-arlington-news","11":"tag-byu-cougars","12":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78651","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=78651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78651\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}