No. 12 Texas Tech

2025 record: 12-2

Expectations

Texas Tech expects a repeat after winning its first Big 12 championship and making the College Football Playoff last season. And there’s no reason to think the 12th-ranked Red Raiders can’t do it again, even after a school-record nine NFL draft picks, including six defensive players. They should also be just fine after the offseason saga surrounding departed transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the expected starter before an NCAA gambling investigation and since-dropped lawsuit over his eligibility.

Well-funded Texas Tech reloaded through the transfer portal, including 10 upperclassmen for the defensive front seven. Linebacker Austin Romaine had 162 tackles the past two seasons at Kansas State. Edge rushers Trey White (19 1/2 sacks the last three seasons at San Diego State) and Adam Trick (13 sacks in three seasons at Miami, Ohio) are also expected to fill big holes. Back are three-year starting linebacker Ben Roberts, who last season had 90 tackles and was the top defensive player in the Big 12 championship game when he had two interceptions, and cornerback Brice Pollock (Big 12-leading five interceptions).

Will Hammond will succeed NFL draft pick Behren Morton as the starting quarterback. That had been the expectation for this season before Hammond’s ACL injury last October and Sorsby’s transfer from Cincinnati.

The schedule does not include No. 14 BYU or No. 21 Utah during the regular season, though there is a September game against No. 23 Houston.

Strengths include returning skill players

Coach Joey McGuire said Hammond will be ready for the opener and is “going to have a lot of people around him to help him succeed.” That includes the returning running back duo of Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams, receiver Coy Eakin (48 catches, 637 yards, six TDs) and tight end Terrance Carter Jr. (51 catches). Several receivers were added from the portal.

Dickey ran for 1,124 yards and Big 12-leading 14 TDs last season, while Williams had 868 yards and six TDs rushing. They also combined for 60 catches and four more TDs.

Concerns might be the influx of so many new players on defense

Tech’s defense is deeper and could end up being better than last season, when it was one of the nation’s best. But all the newcomers have to jell like last year’s group did, and will have to play some games to see if it all comes together again. The entire expected starting defensive front is new, with many also backed up by new incoming players.

New faces

DL Bryce Butler (transfer from Washington), DT Mateen Ibirogba (transfer from Wake Forest), WR Kenny Johnson (transfer from Pittsburgh), Romaine, WR Malcolm Simmons (transfer from Auburn), Trick and White.

Key losses

LB David Bailey (drafted by New York Jets), LB Romello Height (drafted by San Francisco), DT Lee Hunter (drafted by Carolina), Morton (drafted by New England), LB Jacob Rodriguez (drafted by Miami).

Biggest games for the Red Raiders

vs. No. 23 Houston (Sept. 18), vs. Arizona State (Oct. 17), vs. TCU (Nov. 26).

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