{"id":79516,"date":"2025-12-07T18:19:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T18:19:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/79516\/"},"modified":"2025-12-07T18:19:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T18:19:07","slug":"texas-tech-earns-first-round-bye-in-cfp-debut-will-face-james-madison-oregon-winner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/79516\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Tech earns first-round bye in CFP debut, will face James Madison-Oregon winner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Texas Tech<\/a> will compete in the College Football Playoff for the first time, and the Red Raiders are well-positioned to make a run at the national title.<\/p>\n

Tech secured the No. 4 overall seed in the College Football Playoff selection committee\u2019s rankings released Sunday,<\/a> earning the Red Raiders a first-round bye. Tech will make its College Football Playoff debut in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 1 against the winner of No. 12 James Madison and No. 5 Oregon. Those two teams will play on Dec. 20 at Oregon\u2019s Autzen Stadium. <\/p>\n

Tech has never won a national championship in football.<\/p>\n

The Red Raiders entered Selection Sunday expecting to see themselves with a top-four seed in the bracket after defeating No. 11 BYU 34-7 in the Big 12 championship Saturday afternoon at AT&T Stadium<\/a>. With the win, Tech secured its first Big 12 title ever and first outright conference title since 1955. <\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to the bye,\u201d Tech coach Joey McGuire said Saturday. \u201cWe\u2019re hoping and expecting that that\u2019s where we\u2019ll be because we\u2019re football banged up, and if you let us get healthy, I really believe we\u2019ve got another gear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\"Texas<\/p>\n

Tech was the only Big 12 team to make the 12-team field, even after McGuire opened his postgame press conference Saturday by arguing for BYU to earn an at-large bid. The Red Raiders were joined by former Big 12 rivals No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 7 Texas A&M.<\/p>\n

Tech made a significant investment in the offseason<\/a> with the hopes of winning its first Big 12 title. Led by billionaire booster Cody Campbell, Tech spent more than $25 million total on its roster and $12 million on 21 transfers alone. It led to overnight success for the Red Raiders, who finished the regular season 12-1 with their only loss coming without starting quarterback Behren Morton in the lineup. <\/p>\n

While the Big 12 championship was the initial goal, this Red Raiders team is capable of competing for a national title, led by an offense that ranks third in the nation in scoring, averaging 42.5 points per game, and a defense that also ranks third, allowing fewer than 11 points per game.<\/p>\n

The Red Raiders will have 25 days off before they return to the field. McGuire and the players said Sunday the bye week will allow them to get healthy before facing what will undoubtedly be their toughest opponent of the season.<\/p>\n

Morton, especially, will look forward to that extra time to recover, as he\u2019s been battling a leg injury since October when he missed two games while rehabbing the injury. He\u2019s spent much of the season practicing in a boot<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Over three weeks off will help the fifth-year quarterback, who\u2019s already passed for over 2,600 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not done yet,\u201d Morton said. \u201cThere\u2019s still more ball to be played.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Twitter\/X: @Lassimak<\/a><\/p>\n

Final College Football Playoff bracket: See where Texas Tech, A&M and Oklahoma landed<\/a>College Football Playoff bracket predictions: Where do Texas Tech, Oklahoma, A&M land?<\/a><\/p>\n

Find more Texas Tech coverage from The Dallas Morning News here<\/a>.<\/p>\n