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What beating BYU did for Texas Tech football in the second CFP ranking
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- What beating BYU did for Texas Tech football in the second CFP ranking
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The Texas Tech football team's Nov. 8 win over Brigham Young yielded a significant ratings bump for the Red Raiders in the second edition of this year's College Football Playoff rankings.
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Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1 in the Big 12) moved to No. 6, up two spots from last week.
The teams ranked above the Red Raiders are Ohio State at No. 1, Indiana at No. 2, Texas A&M at No. 3, Alabama at No. 4 and Georgia at No. 5. The top five are unchanged from last week. Behind the Red Raiders in the top 10 are Ole Miss at No. 7, Oregon at No. 8, Notre Dame at No. 9 and Texas at No. 10.
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Tech beat BYU 29-7 on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium in a matchup that brought the ESPN College GameDay show to Lubbock for the first time in 17 years. Last week, BYU was one spot ahead of Tech in both major polls, as well as the CFP rankings. With the loss Saturday, the Cougars dropped five spots to No. 12.
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Asked on ESPN's rankings-reveal show on Tuesday, Nov. 11, what kept Texas Tech out of the top four, CFP selection committee chairman Mack Rhoades pointed to the Red Raiders failing to turn more red-zone chances into touchdowns. Stone Harrington kicked a school-record 5 field goals in 5 attempts Saturday.
"But they're a really good football team," said Rhoades, the Baylor athletics director. "Their front seven defensively, we think, is as good as there is in the country.
" Behren Morton , he's playing with a bad leg. Really, really tough kid, but offensively is what's probably kept them out of the top four, top five."
The other team Texas Tech passed in last week's rankings was Ole Miss . The Rebels beat The Citadel 49-0 last week in a non-conference game.
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"Probably the longest discussion we had in the room was Texas Tech and Ole Miss," Rhoades said later Tuesday on a CFP teleconference. "Texas Tech's win this past weekend against BYU, really convincing, both sides of the ball. Texas Tech defensively, really, really good. Offensively, moved the ball up and down the field. Kicked some field goals, so probably left some points off the board."
Rhoades said the committee gave Tech credit for beating two teams ranked in the top 13, BYU and Utah.
"Ole Miss had the one win, a really good win, at Oklahoma . Also the win against LSU , but Texas Tech (is) highly regarded by the committee."
ESPN analyst Greg McElroy thinks the Red Raiders could go higher.
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"I think you can make a case that they have a real argument to be made at five," McElroy said on the ESPN rankings-reveal show. "And while I love Georgia, I can look at the circumstances surrounding Texas Tech's loss (26-22 on Oct. 18 at Arizona State ) and better understand — knowing that Behren Morton was not out there playing for them, and yet they still had a chance to win that game if not for some heroics by Sam Leavitt down the stretch at Arizona State. Last weekend's game was a clinic on both sides of the ball.
"Now, while offensively, I would like for them to have been a little better in the red zone, other than that defensively —the way they swarm to the football, harassing the quarterback, stopping the run — that's a top-five football team in my estimation."
The CFP rankings come out weekly with the final ranking released on Sunday, Dec. 7, after conference championship games are complete. The top four in the final ranking receive first-round byes in the 12-team bracket. Teams ranked 5 through 8 will host CFP first-round games Dec. 19 and 20 against teams ranked 9 through 12.
Lubbock, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars defensive end Logan Lutui (7) pursues Texas Tech Red Raiders running back J'Koby Williams (20) in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images Michael C. Johnson, Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
If the rankings finished the same as they are this week, which won't happen, Texas Tech would host Miami (Fla.) in a first-round game and play Texas A&M in the quarterfinals on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
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Teams the committee ranked 11 through 15 are Oklahoma, BYU, Utah, Vanderbilt and Miami (Fla.). Ranked 16 through 20 are Georgia Tech , Southern California, Michigan , Virginia and Louisville . Rounding out the 25 are Iowa , Pittsburgh, Tennessee , South Florida and Cincinnati.
2025 College Football Playoff Schedule
FIRST ROUND: Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20 at higher-seeded school.
QUARTERFINALS: Wednesday, Dec. 31: Cotton Bowl (Arlington), 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 1: Orange Bowl (Miami), 11 a.m.; Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California), 3 p.m.; Sugar Bowl (New Orleans), 7 p.m.
SEMIFINALS: Thursday, Jan. 8: Fiesta Bowl (Phoenix), 6:30 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 9: Peach Bowl (Atlanta), 6:30 p.m.
FINALS: Monday, Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), 6:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: What beating BYU did for Texas Tech football in the second CFP ranking
