The quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff are upon us, which means the four top seeds will finally get their postseason campaigns underway after a lengthy break following conference championship weekend.No. 4 Texas Tech waited the longest to officially learn its quarterfinal opponent. But given that No. 5 Oregon entered the first round as a three-touchdown favorite over No. 12 James Madison, the Red Raiders likely got a head start preparing for the Ducks. Despite a spirited effort from the Dukes, Oregon overwhelmed the Sun Belt champions to set up the expected Orange Bowl showdown with Texas Tech — a matchup that could be one of the best games of the entire Playoff.There’s a fitting symmetry to the pairing. Oregon, once college football’s “new money” program, will face the NIL era’s fastest riser in Texas Tech. The Ducks have established themselves as a consistent national contender over the past two decades, while the Red Raiders poured major resources into their program and surged to the top of the Big 12 this season as a result.In many ways, Oregon represents a blueprint for how a program like Texas Tech can build sustained excellence. On New Year’s Day in Miami, the Red Raiders will get a chance to show they’ve already closed that gap.
For two programs long defined by high-powered offenses, the defining trait of this season has been dominant defense. Both teams have been excellent offensively — they’re both top 10 nationally in scoring — but their defenses have been the engines of their success. As a result, both offenses will face a significant challenge trying to move the ball consistently in this matchup.
What to know about Texas TechThe Red Raiders earned the No. 4 seed by riding one of the nation’s best defenses to a dominant season in the Big 12. Aside from a midseason stumble at Arizona State, Texas Tech bullied its way through the conference, including a pair of blowout wins over BYU that cemented a top-four finish in the CFP rankings and secured a first-round bye.Texas Tech’s defense ranks among the elite nationally, finishing third in scoring defense at 10.9 points allowed per game — trailing only top seeds Indiana and Ohio State. All…
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2025-12-21 04:42:32
