How Texas Tech's Win Over BYU Impacts Oregon Ducks' Playoff Seed

The No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the No. 11 BYU Cougars 34-7 in the Big 12 Championship Game meaning the No. 5 Oregon Ducks will most likely stay outside of the top four in the College Football Playoff bracket.

If Oregon doesn't get a bye in the first round, the Ducks will host a CFP game in Autzen Stadium.

Why Oregon Likely Stays Outside Top Four

BYU trailed 13-7 in the third quarter, but Texas Tech forced four turnovers in the second half to pull away and win the Big 12 title. Red Raiders linebacker Ben Roberts intercepted BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier after tipping the ball to himself, and Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey scored on the very next play. Roberts came up with a second interception with a one-handed catch in the fourth quarter.

college football playoff bracket texas tech byu cougars oregon ducks first round bye sec championship georgia alabama — Dec 6, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Ben Roberts (13) returns an interception against the BYU Cougars during the second half at AT&T Stadium | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

With the win, Texas Tech stamped their spot in the top four. No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana are likely guaranteed first-round byes, leaving only the SEC Championship Game with top-four stakes.

The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs and No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide have yet to square off in the SEC title game, but a Georgia loss is unlikely to drop the Bulldogs below teams that didn't play in conference championships like No. 5 Oregon, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas A&M, or No. 8 Oklahoma.

A Georgia loss would cause Texas Tech to move up, but a Bulldogs win likely keeps the Red Raiders at No. 4.

Does Georgia stay ahead of Oregon regardless of the result of the SEC title game? Meanwhile, how high would Alabama climb if the Crimson Tide beat the Bulldogs? Some believe Alabama could climb as high as No. 4, meaning Oregon is blocked from gaining a top-four seed.

Biggest CFP Questions

How Ohio State and Indiana will be ranked after the Big Ten Championship Game remains to be seen, but neither team will likely be punished much for losing an extra game. However, if the game in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a one-sided competition, there could be some shuffling within the top four.

Does Oregon want a bye? The Ducks did not have success with a long break after winning the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game over Penn State as Oregon was blown out by Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

After the lopsided defeat, does BYU fall out of the bracket? The Cougars have two bad losses to Texas Tech on their résumé, opening the door for teams like No. 10 Notre Dame or No. 12 Miami to receive at-large bids.

MORE: Five Things to Know About Oregon's New Offensive Coordinator Drew Mehringer

MORE: Meet the Most Underrated Signees In Oregon's Recruiting Class

MORE: Oregon's Dan Lanning Reveals Recruitment of 5-Star Anthony Jones from Alabama

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CFP Selection Committee Rankings Week 14

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Georgia
4. Texas Tech
5. Oregon
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas A&M
8. Oklahoma
9. Alabama
10. Notre Dame
11. BYU
12. Miami
13. Texas
14. Vanderbilt
15. Utah
16. USC
17. Virginia
18. Arizona
19. Michigan
20. Tulane
21. Houston
22. Georgia Tech
23. Iowa
24. North Texas
25. James Madison

Dan Lanning on Oregon's Playoff Future

Earlier in the week, Oregon coach Dan Lanning talked about the Ducks' opportunity in the CFP and how the team has proven itself.

“You can have some hiccups. We had one. We learned a lot from it, but you don't get second, third, fourth tries, and we knew that. So, we had to play a certain way to make sure that we have that opportunity, and the guys wanted to make sure we did that on the field.”

Lanning was also asked about his thoughts on hosting a first-round game in the CFP at home inside Autzen Stadium:

“I think they'll be pretty cranked up. Hopefully it's interesting weather. I know it could be fun for somebody coming.”