Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Breaks Down Texas Tech’s Explosive Offensive Weapons

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, the home of the Orange Bowl, will consist of college football's two highest-paid rosters and highest-octane offenses: the Big Ten Conference's No. 5 Oregon Ducks (12-1, 8-1 Big Ten) and the Big 12 Conference champions in the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-1, 8-1 Big 12).

According to On3's poll of 17 stakeholders (NIL collectives, coaches, general managers, agents, and administration members) across the sport back in July, Texas Tech is ranked as the No. 2 overall spender and Oregon at No. 4.

The Red Raiders have the No. 2-ranked scoring offense in the FBS at 42.5 points per game, while the Ducks aren't far behind at No. 9 with 39.2 points per game. Expect a very high-scoring affair on New Year's Day.

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire stands with commissioner Brett Yormark (middle) and ESPN's Katie Georgie after winning the Big 12 Championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Under the guidance of coach Joey McGuire, Texas Tech utilized the transfer portal and the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) market well to their advantage in 2025. The Red Raiders are led by senior quarterback Behren Morton, whose On3's NIL valuation is projected to be $1.7 million, while completing deals with Adidas and The Matador Club.

On Monday, Oregon coach Dan Lanning spoke with the media about what he's seen from the Eastland, Texas native when watching film.

“Again, they operate extremely fast. And he (Behren Morton) makes great decisions. He's a guy who can make necessary throws. He's got great weapons. I think he understands that. They’ve got tight ends that can catch the ball. They have running backs to catch the ball in the backfield.”

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Morton leads the program with 2,643 passing yards to go along with 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions on a 67.0 completion percentage, the highest of anyone in the Big 12 with a minimal 100 attempted throws.

“They got really big wideouts, outside slot receivers. They throw the screen game extremely well. They attack down the field," Lanning continued. "You don't have the amount of explosive plays they've had this season, right? Without having a good operator at quarterback. And he's been a great operator and done a great job there.”

It should be a duel under center between Morton and Ducks redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore, who has an important decision to make here soon regarding his candidacy for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Texas Tech's Behren Morton attempts a pass against BYU during the Big 12 Conference championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What Stands Out About Texas Tech's Pass Protection

With the media, Lanning also touched on how his Oregon edge rushers need to get after the quarterback, as well as sophomore running back Cameron Dickey (team-leading 1,095 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns), and past Texas Tech's long line of defense at the offensive line positions on Thursday, Jan. 1.

“Again, they generate a ton of negatives, and a lot of it comes from rushing coverage, rushing the four guys up front and letting the guys in the back-end cover, and they do an outstanding job of that," Lanning said. "They've got an arsenal of pass rush moves that you see show up, especially on the edges. Those guys are a matchup issue. They do a really good job, so we'll have to do a great job of protecting the quarterback and making good decisions there.”

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the fourth quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Morton has been sacked 17 times through the 14 games played in the 2025 season. Lanning's group averages 1.92 sacks per game, ranked No. 78 in the NCAA, and 4.8 tackles for losses per game, ranked No. 106 across the nation.

It will be a bright and early New Year's Day for both the Ducks and Red Raiders at the Orange Bowl at 9:00 a.m. PT on ESPN. The winner will move on to the College Football Playoff semifinals.