Texas Tech is one of the strongest teams in the field, and they would have to play two of the hottest teams in the College Football Playoff bracket as well. The good thing for them is their NIL budget prepared them not just for admittance into the prestigious — and often SEC dominated — CFP field, but also for a deep run.
It’s easier said than done, though. As much as the SEC would like it, games aren’t played on paper, so Texas Tech still has to do what it did all season, which made it one of the most dominant programs this year. Here’s what the Red Raiders need to do to survive the CFP field in this year’s playoff.
Texas Tech can’t let off defensively in the College Football Playoff
Texas Tech invested the bulk of their NIL funds this offseason into their defense, and that’s pretty obvious. They have an average margin of victory of 20 points this year and haven’t allowed more than 27 points this year, and they’ve only allowed 20 or more points twice — one was a loss to Arizona State.
They could potentially play Oregon and Indiana, which have solid offenses. Dante Moore and the Ducks haven’t lost since losing to Indiana earlier this past season. Moore has been on a heater, leading Oregon to big wins over USC and Iowa. Led by Jacob Rodriguez, the Red Raiders defense has been efficient at shutting down both the run and the pass game. Sure, Bear Bachmeier is a true freshman, but the Red Raiders had him flustered both times they played.
Their defense is going to be the reason they go on a deep playoff run or not. It’s what got them the No. 4 seed and a first round bye. If they want to stun Indiana in the semifinals and even Oregon in the quarterfinals, it’s completely contingent on the defense.
Why Texas Tech is built for the College Football Playoff
The one thing Ohio State showed us last year is having the most expensive will ultimately pay off in the postseason. Texas Tech is in that same situation with a roster worth nearly $30 million. But they still have to show up. I think Texas Tech and the chip on their shoulder will play to their favor.
They’re overlooked for Fernando Mendoza, Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers, who are making their second-straight CFP appearance, Ohio State, the defending champions and even Georgia, the SEC champion. Playoff experience is key and goes a long way, but when it comes to the most talented teams in the field, Texas Tech is up there.
The other thing to keep in mind too is that aside from maybe Oregon, none of the offenses are scary in Texas Tech’s half of the bracket. Indiana is obviously a good offense, but they aren’t a high-octane offense. Mendoza can sling it around, but that offense isn’t going to play like a traditional high-powered offense.
Alabama and Oklahoma, for as good as they are, have their flaws and Texas Tech’s defense is good enough to contain them a lot better than not. If Texas Tech had to face Georgia’s defense, Ohio State’s offense or Ole Miss’s offense, it would be a slightly different story.
Despite being a No. 4 seed, they have a favorable path for a deep run. As good as most of the teams are in the field, Texas Tech is different. Their offense isn’t as good as a lot of the other teams in the field, but they have an SEC level defense and that should take them far. They don’t have the strongest teams in the field in their path, making a deep run feasible.
Texas Tech has a first round bye for a reason, and the rest of the field is about to find out just how good they truly are. As long as their defense continues to play as well as it has, nobody is stopping the Red Raiders.