How to watch No. 17 Texas Tech Football vs. No. 16 Utah: Breakdown, Preview, TV Channel
In this story:
The eyes of the college football world will be on the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team this weekend.
Ranked No. 17 in the polls with three demonstrative wins on its resume, Texas Tech hits the road for the first time in 2025 against No. 16 Utah — a pivotal early-season test that serves as a barometer for this Red Raider squad and a defining moment in the early stages of the Big 12 title race.
With FOX's Big Noon broadcast tagging along for the trip to Salt Lake, Rice-Eccles Stadium will be rocking even if it's a local 10 a.m. kickoff time. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier and offensive coordinator Jason Beck have reignited the Utes offense after sluggish units in the past two seasons, as Utah had to deal with the fallout of Cam Rising's injury issues. With an experienced offensive line and defensive playmakers littered throughout the whole roster, Saturday's top-20 matchup will shoot off some fireworks.
Here’s all you need to know as Texas Tech enters the national spotlight in enemy territory against the ranked Utes.
How to Follow Along
- Matchup: No. 17 Texas Tech (3-0, 0-0 Big 12) at No. 16 Utah (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)
- Line: Utah (-3.5), 56.5 O/U (FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Time: 11 a.m. CDT
- TV: FOX
- Broadcast Crew: Gus Johnson (PxP), Joel Klatt (Analyst) & Jenny Taft (Sideline)
- Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network and Affiliates
No. 16 Utah Scout
Head Coach
Head Coach Kyle Whittingham | 22nd season at Utah & as HC | 170-86 (.664) Utah & Career Record | 2x Pac-12 Championships, 1x Mountain West Championship | AFCA Coach OTY (2008), Paul “Bear” Bryant Award (2008), Bobby Dodd Coach OTY (2019), 2x Pac-12 Coach OTY, MW Coach OTY (2008) | Previous assistant at Utah, Idaho State, Eastern Utah, and BYU.
2024 Finish
- Did not qualify for the postseason.
2024 Record & Awards
5-7 (2-7 Big 12, T-13th) | 1x All-American | All-Big 12: 2x First Team, 2x Second Team, 2x Honorable Mentions.
All-Time Series
- Texas Tech leads 2-0 (Sept. 15, 1973 last matchup; 29-22 Texas Tech).
Key Departures
- Caleb Lohner | TE | Graduated | Basketball turned football player that caught four touchdowns in his only season of college football; Drafted in the seventh round.
- Cam Rising | QB | Graduated | Two-time first team all-conference quarterback that led Utah to two Pac-12 titles; Appeared in only three games across his final two injury-riddled seasons.
- Micah Bernard | RB | Graduated | Career best and team-high 1,009 rushing yards in 2024; racked up 2,217 career rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 51 games.
- Dorian Singer | WR | Graduated | Posted a team-leading 702 yards in his final season of college football after transferring from Arizona (2021-2022) and USC (2023).
- Brant Kuithe | TE | Graduated | One of the greatest tight ends in school history; four-time all-conference selection and finished his career third all-time in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
- Karene Reid | LB | Graduated | Two-time All-Pac-12 pick who started in 39 of the 43 games that he appeared in.
- Van Fillinger | DE | Graduated | Led Utah in both TFLs (9.0) and sacks (6.0) en route to the Big 12 All-Conference Second Team in 2024.
- Alaka’i Gilman | S | Graduated | His 5.5 tackles for loss led the secondary and also added 41 tackles and one pick.
- Cam Calhoun | CB | Transfer | Transferred to Alabama after leading the Utes with nine pass breakups and one interception as a true freshman.
- Junior Tafuna | DT | Graduated | 2021 Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and named to an all-conference team in all four of his seasons at Utah.
- Keanu Tanuvasa | DT | Transfer | Went to in-state rival BYU after a CFN Freshman All-American campaign in 2023, as well as an All-Big 12 honorable mention award in 2024.
Top Returners
- Spencer Fano | OL | Jr. | Returning All-American who will be in contention to be the first tackle taken off the board in April’s NFL draft.
- Michael Mokofisi | OL | R-Sr. | Started the first seven games at right guard in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury.
- Jaren Kump | OL | R-Sr. | 31 starts in 49 career games, including two of the first three contests of 2025 at center.
- Caleb Lomu | OL | R-Soph. | Has made 15 consecutive starts at left tackle after taking the starting job as a redshirt freshman in 2024.
- Tanoa Togiai | OL | R-Sr. | Returning left guard that started in 10 of 11 games before suffering a season-ending injury last year.
- Isaac Wilson | QB | Soph. | Thrust into action as a true freshman after the season-ending injury to Cam Rising three games into 2024; backup role to transfer Devin Dampier in 2025.
- Lander Barton | LB | Sr. | Led the Utes in tackles (72) while adding five tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery.
- Tao Johnson | S | Jr. | Made the switch from WR to DB in 2023; was second on the team in tackles with 70 in 2024.
- Johnathan Hall | LB | Jr. | Tied the team high in tackles for loss with nine after making the move from safety.
- Smith Snowden | CB | Jr. | Veteran corner (26 games) that had the fourth-most tackles (48), eight pass breakups, and two picks in 2024.
- Logan Fano | DE | Jr. | Started nine of 12 games last season, finishing with 6.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks.
- Elijah Davis | CB | Jr. | Started in nine of 12 games at corner last year and now leads the secondary with nine tackles so far in 2025.
- John Henry Daley | DE | R-Soph. | The breakout star in the Utes' defense with a team-leading 13 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and five sacks.
- Jackson Bennee | S | Soph. | Tied for second on the team with 12 tackles and is second in the FBS with five passes defended (2 INT, 3 PBU).
- Evan Link | OT | Jr. | Started 11 of 13 games in 2024 and returns as the starter at left tackle in 2025.
Impact Transfers/Newcomers
- Devon Dampier | QB | Jr. | Piled up 3,934 total yards of offense at New Mexico in 2024 while becoming the school’s first quarterback to win All-Mountain West First-Team honors.
- Wayshawn Parker | RB | Soph. | Shined in his freshman season at Washington State with 735 yards on 137 carries and touchdowns.
- NaQuari Rogers | RB | Sr. | Followed Dampier from New Mexico and currently leads the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns with four in three games.
- Ryan Davis | WR | R-Sr. | Another piece in the New Mexico influx, Davis leads the Utes in catches and receiving yards.
- Dillon Curtis | K | Fr. | Top in-state kicker prospect that has struggled to gain his footing so far in 2025 (2-for-5).
- Orion Phillips | P | Soph. | Two-time transfer who spent his freshman season at Murray State and redshirted after not seeing action at Missouri in 2024.
Key Storylines
Can Texas Tech prove their offseason spending was worth it?
That question can only be answered when the regular season comes to a close, and whether or not the Red Raiders have their ticket to the Big 12 championship. However, the first step in that process is topping a ranked conference foe like the No. 16 Utes. The Red Raiders have looked might impressive so far in 2025 with three blowout wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kent State, and Oregon State, but they can't be labeled as a difficult non-conference slate. Saturday's nationally televised showdown gives Texas Tech the platform to show the progress and get tangible results from its massive investment over the offseason. Plus, the winner will receive the spotlight as the early Big 12 frontrunner to appear in Dallas come December.
How can the Red Raiders slow down Devon Dampier and the Utah offense?
After two messy seasons dealing with the injuries of former star quarterback Cam Rising, Utah turned the page in 2025 and followed one of the hottest trends in college football — importing a new hot offensive coordinator from the Group of Five and their star quarterback. That's come in the form of Jason Beck and Devon Dampier from New Mexico, as the tandem averaged 33.5 points and nearly 500 yards of offense per game in 2024.
Dampier has lived up to the hype through three games, compiling 628 passing yards with seven touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 198 yards on 33 carries. Texas Tech will need to rely on star edge David Bailey and company to make early down stops and force long third down conversions because if Dampier can operate on an efficient pace, that's where the danger comes in for the Red Raiders.
Who can spark the rushing attack for Texas Tech?
USC transfer running back Quinten Joyner was going to be a key cog in the Red Raider offense, but that took a major hit when the sophomore suffered a torn ACL to end his season in fall camp. Behren Morton has stepped up to carry the team through the air with 11 touchdowns and over 900 yards, but Texas Tech has pivoted to a running back by committee strategy with Adam Hill (208 yards), Cameron Dickey (169), and J'koby Williams (163) taking around the same carries through three games.
With a veteran Utah defense, Morton may struggle to replicate his passing success, and that is where the Red Raiders need a potent rushing attack. A path to victory seems much more realistic if Tech can balance things out offensively, and getting a standout performance from one of their three rushing options is key to that point.
More From Texas Tech On SI
Geoff Exstrom covers a variety of Nebraska sports and brings nearly a decade of experience writing in the Nebraska market. Geoff is an award-winning writer and podcaster, serving in a variety of roles across his media career. Geoff is currently the Director of Communications, Broadcast and Media for the Omaha Supernovas, a professional volleyball team in Omaha, Nebraska where they hold the distinction of being No. 1 in the world in average pro volleyball attendance. Geoff holds a degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and spends his time watching F1 with his loving partner, Grisela and their four cats.