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How Texas Tech's Newest Rivalry has Translated to the Basketball Court

Texas Tech, especially this season in football, has gained a new rival from the Big 12, and it seems it has translated to the basketball court.
Ryan Kay|
Texas Tech's Jaylen Petty goes up for a layup during a Big 12 Conference men's basketball game.
Texas Tech's Jaylen Petty goes up for a layup during a Big 12 Conference men's basketball game. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas Tech's newer rivalry with BYU looks to have transcended to the basketball court after both teams battled to be the best football team in the Big 12 this season.

Not just social media, but fans for both schools have been vocal about who is the new king of the Big 12 in recent months and weeks. However, first is a look at some of the social media posts involving this new and exciting rivalry for the fans of both programs.

However, the rivalry really intensified during football season.

There does seem to be genuine respect between the coaches and fanbase.

Here now is why and how Texas Tech and BYU have arguably become the best rivalry in the Big 12 this season.

The competition between Texas Tech and BYU is now widely regarded as one of the best in the conference. This competitiveness is due to the conference title game in football, the "top 10" matchups, and the clash of styles from both programs.

Because past rivals no longer play Texas Tech due to teams like Texas, SMU, and Texas A&M departing to other leagues, the Red Raiders and Cougars have filled the gap with exciting football and basketball battles. Here are three reasons why this has become the best rivalry in the Big 12.

1. High-stakes drama in football that has occurred this past season.
After the 2025 season, this rivalry became a "must-see." The battle between two Top 10 teams this season intensified the rivalry. The first time Texas Tech and BYU played each other this past November, Texas Tech was ranked No. 8, while BYU was ranked seventh, making it a significant game that attracted a lot of media attention. College GameDay was in Lubbock for the game for the first time since 2008. The Red Raiders defeated the Cougars 29–7 in front of a sold-out "Stripe the Stadium" crowd, giving the Cougars their first loss of the season.

A few weeks later, they met each other again at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship. Texas Tech won its first Big 12 conference title since 1955 and a position in the College Football Playoff with a 34–7 triumph over BYU to advance to the College Football playoffs. The Red Raiders were the only team to defeat the Cougars this past season in football.

Before BYU joined the Big 12 in 2023, these teams had only played each other once, which was in 1940. The new factor, along with the quick intensity of the rivalry, makes the competition between these two schools particularly intriguing.

2. The battle of identity, like the rivalry, is based on two very different "brands" in this new era of college sports. Texas Tech is regarded for having one of the wildest and most raucous settings in the country for its home games. It has a "West Texas" grit type of feel on the campus in Lubbock as well. The Red Raiders in football also play a defense that is quite aggressive. BYU has a strong, devoted, and passionate fanbase, with a national brand and fans all across the world. This rivalry isn't quite like Notre Dame's and Miami's, but it has some similar characteristics that are forming.

As part of the "Toughest Team Wins" motto, both institutions have put more emphasis on physical, blue-collar characteristics for their football programs. The football programs assembled by Joey McGuire at Texas Tech and Kalani Sitake at BYU contribute to a sense of old-school rivalry between the two teams. As a result, both fanbases respect each other's football programs, and the rivalry will only grow.

3. Both basketball programs play fiercely and compete as they do in football. The rivalry isn't only on the football field. Both teams have been in the Top 25 all season in 2024–25 and 2025–26. Therefore, their games on the basketball court are like battles that will help define their basketball programs. Texas Tech had a significant win on the road in Provo in early 2025, but BYU is now Tech's greatest challenge in the Big 12 this season, along with Houston and Iowa State. Styles of play vary between the two basketball programs, as BYU's large number of shots from the outside and Texas Tech's "No Middle" defense will lead to some fascinating tactical battles that fans of both teams will adore.

As always, social media shows the energy and excitement of this new rivalry as both teams take the court against one another.

This will be a fantastic one, with Texas Tech looking to win and stay in the race to win the Big 12 this year.

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Ryan Kay
RYAN KAY

Ryan Kay is a journalist who graduated from Michigan State in 2003 and is passionate about covering college sports and enjoys writing features and articles covering various collegiate teams. He has worked as an editor at Go Joe Bruin and has been a contributor for Longhorns Wire and Busting Brackets. He is a contributor for Texas Tech On SI.

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