It is the Big 12 Championship Game as BYU faces Texas Tech. The winner of the game will be heading to the College Football Playoff. It will be a rematch of a regular-season tilt that Texas Tech won 29-7. As the two prepare to face off on Saturday, it is time to make bold predictions on the game.
BYU comes into the game at 11-1 and is ranked number 11 in the latest CFP rankings. After an 8-0 start, including a tight win on the road over Arizona, and another one at home over Utah, the Cougars fell to Texas Tech. They have since won three straight, all of them by ten or more points. There is also more reason to celebrate in Provo, as Kalani Sitake has agreed to stay at BYU as the head coach.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech is also 11-1 on the year, which has the squad ranked fourth in the latest CFP rankings. The Red Raiders dominated the early part of the season, with six straight wins, all by 24 or more points. In the final game of the winning streak, facing Kansas, Behren Morton was injured. He then missed the game with Arizona State, while Arizona State still had Sam Leavitt. Arizona State went on to win the game 26-22. Morton would also miss the game with Oklahoma State, but Texas Tech still won with ease. They have won all five games since the loss by 21 or more points.
Like with BYU, fans in Lubbock are excited about the future as Texas Tech has agreed to an extension with head coach Joey McGuire.
Bear Bachmeier keeps the BYU offense moving
The BYU offense has been solid this year. They are 30th in FBS in points per game while sitting 52nd in yards per game. They are 48th in the running games and 66th in the passing game. Bear Bachmeier was not the expected starting quarterback for BYU this year, but with Jake Retzlaff leaving the program after facing suspension due to an honor code violation, Bachmeier got the chance to start his freshman season.
The freshman quarterback has passed for 2,593 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He also has just four interceptions. Meanwhile, he has been solid on the ground as well, running for 529 yards and 11 touchdowns. Last time Bachmeier faced Texas Tech, it did not go well for him. He passed for just 188 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Further, he ran for just 12 yards on 11 attempts with a long of just five.
He has improved since the loss to Texas Tech. Bachmeier has not thrown an interception while accounting for four total scores and passing for 712 yards in the three games. He is facing a strong Texas Tech defense, but he will be stronger in this game, using his legs to keep the offense moving and accounting for two touchdowns.
Jacob Rodriguez proves he is a legit Heisman contender
Texas Tech has one of the best defensive units in all of college football. They are second in FBS in opponent points per game while sitting fourth in yards per game. Furthermore, they are 25th in opponent passing yards per game while being the best in the nation against the run.
A major reason for all the success has been Heisman candidate Jacob Rodriguez. After being named First-Team All-Big 12 in 2024, he was named the Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The linebacker has lived up to the billing. Rodriguez leads the team with 101 tackles, while also having a sack. He also has ten tackles for a loss this season, many of them against the run. Further, he has seven forced fumbles and two recoveries, one of which he brought back for a touchdown. Finally, he has four interceptions and six pass breakups.
Adding to the resume, the Red Raiders have used Rodriguez on offense, as he has two rushing touchdowns. In the last game with BYU, Rocdriguez tied a season high with 14 tackles, while also forcing a fumble and picking off a pass. The Heisman candidate is going to have another great game in this one. He will be a constant presence in the backfield, while also being solid against the pass. Rodriguez will also force at least one turnover in the game, and it could change the tide in the affair.
Texas Tech moves on in a blowout
BYU lost the first time to Texas Tech 29-7. They are going to score more than seven in this game. While the Texas Tech defense is one of the best in the nation, Bachmeier is playing much better as of late. He is going to lead BYU to two touchdowns in the game. That is not going to be enough overall, though.
The Texas Tech offense will be unstoppable in this game. The offense is fifth nationally in points per game while also racking up 470.7 yards per game, good for seventh. Moreover, while the run game is 26th, the passing game is tenth in FBS. Behren Morton was still recovering from injury the last time he faced BYU. He still passed for 219 yards and a touchdown. Since then, he has improved, with a QBR over 80 in both games and four total touchdowns.
BYU is 9-3 against the spread this year, while Texas Tech is 11-1. The lone miss was the loss to Arizona State. They have also covered the spread by 11 or more points in six of the last nine games.
Odds at the time of writing, provided by DraftKings, have Texas Tech as a 12.5-point favorite. Not only does Texas Tech cover, but they win by three scores in this game, led by Rodriguez and Morton.
