Dallas, TX, – Saturday’s game meant more than the 2025 Big 12 title. For Texas Tech, it was about securing a playoff spot. The Red Raiders put the committee on notice by knocking out BYU 34-7. This gave them their first Big 12 Championship crown in school history.
“Just proud of them,” Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said after the game. “I’m so proud of this team. I think we’ve got the best coaching staff in the world. We’ve got the best administration staff in the world. We’ve got the best fans in the world. Proud of the way we played today.
The Big 12 Championship game is a rematch of Texas Tech’s 29-7 win over BYU on November 8th in Lubbock. It was the first Big 12 Championship appearance for both teams and their first meeting on a neutral field—the fourth time overall they’ve met. The start of Saturday’s game felt different, but the final three quarters echoed last month’s matchup, setting the stage for a familiar narrative.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake mentioned numerous times during the postgame press conference that Texas Tech is the best team in college football. “I’ve said it before, I think [Texas Tech is] the best team in the country, and confirming it, they’re the best team in the country. They beat us in a different way than they did the first time. We’ve got to learn from this and build on it and be a lot like them.”
BYU, known for slow starts in 2025, took its opening drive from its own end and used almost seven minutes. They covered ninety yards and converted three third downs. LJ Martin finished the drive with a ten-yard direct snap run for a touchdown. Texas Tech answered by driving into the red zone. However, they committed two false start penalties inside the BYU ten-yard line and settled for a 23-yard field goal by Stone Harrington. Both teams went 6-for-8 on third-down conversions in the first quarter. The field goal was made on the first play of the second quarter. This was only the third time all season that Texas Tech failed to score in the first 15 minutes of a game.
“We felt like we were going to get everything and anything, and we did,” McGuire said after the game. “I think we got a reverse pass, double pass, reverse. They emptied the tank on that first drive. The one thing we did make them do was drive the field, so they had to use everything. Then we settled in.”
On the next drive, Texas Tech converted two third downs and reached the BYU 33. Morton then found Coy Eakin in the front corner of the end zone, who dragged his toes and crossed the pylon with the ball. After review, officials ruled it a touchdown, giving Texas Tech its first lead at 10-7.
“The corner just kind of dropped. I had him beat, so I was like, Behren is about to throw it. Just kind of make the play that comes to you,” Coy Eakin said after the game on the touchdown.
The Red Raiders’ defense halted BYU’s fake punt attempt, forcing a standard punt. Texas Tech advanced but nearly lost possession when J’Koby Williams fumbled on third down at the BYU 44; fortunately, Terrance Carter Jr. recovered. The drive stalled inside the 25, leading to a Harrington field goal and a 13-7 Texas Tech lead at halftime.
Both teams opened the second half with quick drives that ended suddenly. BYU missed a 46-yard field goal, and Texas Tech turned it over on downs at the BYU 14 with an incomplete fourth-down pass.
Texas Tech’s decision to go for it was bold, and BYU’s next drive ended with the game’s first turnover. A Bear Bachmeier pass to Chase Roberts was deflected and intercepted by Ben Roberts, who set up a Cameron Drickey touchdown run and a two-point pass to Carter Jr.
Not to be outdone, BYU turned it over on the next drive, when Bachmeier’s RPO was blown up by Anthony Holmes Jr., leading to a fumble that Texas Tech’s Romello Height recovered inside the BYU 25. This second Cougars’ turnover directly resulted in Harrington’s third field goal, extending the Red Raiders’ lead to 24-7. On the very next BYU possession, Bachmeier threw again—this time Ben Roberts made a leaping interception, tipping and catching the ball. Roberts entered Saturday with two career interceptions (Nov 1, 2025, at Kansas State; Sept 23, 2023, at West Virginia). His two picks vs. BYU set a Big 12 Championship record, all while playing through an abdominal injury.
“I just did everything I could to stretch it out and fix it up. But the trainers really helped me at halftime. They got it all heated up and relaxed, and I was ready to go in the second half,” Ben Roberts said.
Texas Tech added another score on a 4th and 1 with Morton’s second touchdown pass to Eakin. Overall, Texas Tech forced four BYU turnovers, all in the second half—three in the fourth quarter. In both meetings, the Red Raiders’ defense forced seven BYU turnovers.
“Our defense is chaos. They’re a great group of guys. I can’t say enough about the defense for what they’ve done for the offense. It makes our job a lot easier,” Behren Morton said about his defense after the game.
There’s optimism in BYU’s locker room, regardless of whether the Cougars make the playoff field, and even if they miss the cut, their culture remains unchanged for the bowl game.
“We all love each other so much,” BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts said. “There’s such a great culture that we’ve built, and the team we have, we’re going to go out, and we’re going to play our hearts out.”
Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire thinks BYU should receive a bid for the College Football Playoff.
“I want to start out with making — when the Selection Committee starts looking at teams, I truly believe the Big 12 deserves two teams in the playoffs. When you look at BYU, they’re 11-2, and their two losses are to the No. 4 team in the nation,” he said.
Texas Tech heads to the college football playoff with all 12 wins by 23 points or more. Behren Morton finishes 11-0 as a starter. He went 20 for 33 for 215 yards and threw two touchdowns to Eakin.
Saturday’s championship game performance suggests that the best team in the country may reside in Lubbock, Texas. For Texarkana native, Joey McGuire, the win over BYU was only the start.
“I’m a Texan. I ain’t never been anywhere else. I’ll never be anywhere else. I’m proud to be the head coach at Texas Tech, and this team’s not done yet.”
