The Red Raiders announced themselves as the class of the Big 12.
Texas Tech made its loudest statement of the season Saturday, throttling previously undefeated No. 7 BYU 29-7 in front of a raucous home crowd and proud alumnus Patrick Mahomes.
The No. 8-ranked Red Raiders dominated on both sides of the ball, silencing a BYU offense that had rolled through its first eight games while proving they belong in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation.
Here are my takeaways from Texas Tech’s win over BYU:
1. Texas Tech is the best team in the Big 12
The No. 8-ranked Red Raiders are the best team in the conference — and they proved it with an emphatic win over previously undefeated No. 7 BYU.
It didn’t matter that BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier became the first true freshman to start his career 8-0 since Trevor Lawrence at Clemson in 2018. It didn’t matter that Texas Tech carried a 16-game losing streak against AP Top 10 opponents.
And it certainly didn’t matter that the Red Raiders hadn’t won nine games in a season since the late Mike Leach roamed the sideline in Lubbock.
All of that changed Saturday night with a 26-7 victory at Jones AT&T Stadium — and with Kansas City Chiefs star, Texas Tech alumnus, and future Hall of Famer Patrick Mahomes watching from the stands.
Fittingly, the Red Raiders did it in icy-cool “Too Cold” uniforms bearing Mahomes’ personal logo, on a night that was all about swagger, redemption, and a statement to the rest of college football.
2. Red Raiders’ defense is legit
BYU was held scoreless in the first half for the first time in more than two years — dating back to Week 10 of the 2023 season. After heading into the locker room down 13-0, the Cougars knew they were facing a battle to do what no team had done during the Joey McGuire era at Texas Tech.
Coming in, BYU had allowed just 17 points per game through its first eight contests. But Texas Tech’s offense and defense have been dominant all season — especially at home. The Red Raiders entered Week 12 a perfect 15-0 when leading by double digits at halftime under McGuire, with all eight of their home wins coming by at least 20 points while averaging nearly 52 per game at Jones AT&T Stadium in 2025.
The Cougars mustered just 106 total yards in the first half, as Bachmeier was limited to only 55 combined passing and rushing yards before the break.
Lee Hunter #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders hits Bear Bachmeier #47 of the BYU Cougars. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
3. Texas Tech should have put up even more points
The Red Raiders squandered opportunities and could have led by as many as 24 points in the first half. A BYU muffed punt ended in just three points, and none of the three explosive plays the Red Raiders created on offense ended in touchdowns. Tech QB Behren Morton was sacked four times and completed just 9 of 18 passes in the first half.
If the Texas Tech defense had not played to its standard — holding teams to just 13.2 points per game on average — the Red Raider offense could’ve found itself in a much worse spot to start the second half.
4. BYU strength, stymied
BYU couldn’t sustain drives and couldn’t run the ball, either. The Cougars carried the ball 27 times for just 67 yards, averaging only 2.5 yards per carry. They also converted just 3 of 14 third-down opportunities.
Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez continued his breakout season, forcing his 10th turnover of the year with his third interception. Along with outside linebacker David Bailey, Rodriguez has positioned himself as a likely All-American on a top-10 team. Rodriguez finished with a game-high 14 tackles.
BYU didn’t reach the end zone until fewer than eight minutes remained, long after the game had been decided.
Jacob Rodriguez #10 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders pumps up the crowd after intercepting a pass during the second half of the game against BYU. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
4 ½: What’s next?
The Big 12 no longer has an undefeated team after 11 weeks, and the race for a spot in both the conference title game and the College Football Playoff remains wide open. Seven teams sit within a game of each other with three weeks to play.
Whether the Big 12 can get more than one team into the CFP is now up to the selection committee. But with both BYU and Texas Tech ranked inside the top 10 in last week’s poll, it’s likely they’ll stay there in the next update — unless the committee views Tech’s win as a crushing blow to BYU’s résumé.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
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