Oregon State Football Opponent Outlook: Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Oregon State Beavers will face a very tough early-season test when they travel to Lubbock on September 13th. With an impressive combination of returning production and talent that's been acquired in the portal, the Red Raiders are eyeing a Big 12 title and could also be a sleeper for the College Football Playoff. Let's take a look at how this team is shaping up on both sides of the ball.

Offense:

With plenty to highlight at every position, let's start with the guys up front. Texas Tech will be returning three starters on the offensive line, and have also added two four-star transfers. This group should be a real strength this season, and will be looking to provide good protection for Quarterback Behren Morton. The rising senior threw for 3,335 yards last season, and the Red Raiders are confident in his ability to lead the offense in 2025.

Though he lost his top target in Josh Kelly to the NFL, Morton should not be hurting for weapons to throw to. Joey McGuire's offense will be returning Caleb Douglas and Coy Eakin, who were both top three on the team in receiving yards in 2024. Tech has found a lot of help in the portal with two four-star transfer wideouts and a pass-catching tight end in Terrance Carter, who had nearly 700 receiving yards last season. Taken all together, Texas Tech could be very dangerous throught the air in 2025. To top it all off, the Red Raiders have added a big threat in the ground game with the addition of USC transfer Quinten Joyner at halfback.

Defense:

After finishing 126th in total defense last season, this side of the ball appears on track to make massive strides in 2025. In what could be a big test for the importance of NIL money, Texas Tech has brought in four premium transfers on the defensive line: Romelo Height from Georgia Tech, Lee Hunter from UCF, David Bailey from Stanford and Skyler Gill-Howard from NIU. How much of an impact could this make? Pro Football Focus(PFF) has ranked Tech's defensive line amongst the ten best in the entire country heading into this season.

Though their front seven is looking strong, the secondary could be a bit of a question mark for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech's passing defense was abysmal last season, finishing second to last in all of FBS. However, additions they've made this offseason will likely lead to improvement in 2025. Mississippi State transfer Brice Pollack has proven himself at the SEC level, and is practically a lock to start at corner. Other transfers with starting experience, such as Amier Boyd-Matthews from UTEP, could provide some depth at this position. At safety, NDSU transfer Cole Wisniewski looks like a strong option to start alongside returner Brendan Jordan. One thing we can say for sure is that there will be a lot of pressure on this group to perform. With so much strength in the front seven, Tech's defense could be amongst the Big 12's best if the secondary holds up this season.

Wrap-up:

No matter how you spin things, it is going to be a tough matchup for the Beavers in week three. After playing their first two games in the comfort of Reser stadium, it could be intimidating walking into a road environment against a team that will likely be ranked. However, there should be some opportunities to strike. First off, it will be Tech's first quality opponent, whereas the Beavers will have warmed up with Cal in week one. Second, the Red Raiders will have a lot of new starters on defense, which can sometimes present problems early in a season. Experienced wideouts Trent Walker and Darrius Clemons, along with standout Quarterback Maalik Murphy, will be looking to punish any lack of chemistry in the secondary. No matter what, this should present a good opportunity for the Beavers to see where they're at early in the season.

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