Is Jacob Rodriguez an Award-Season Favorite After 3rd Straight Weekly Conference Honors?
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Following another strong week, the Texas Tech Red Raiders have only further padded linebacker Jacob Rodriguez's campaign. He caught an interception and scored a rushing touchdown — the first offensive score of his career — cementing his late Heisman Trophy push in style.
Against the UCF Knights, Rodriguez recorded nine tackles (six solo tackles). That brought his season total to 97, with 54 solo tackles, tied for fifth nationally. His seven forced fumbles rank first, and his four interceptions are tied for ninth, making him the only player in the top 10 of all three statistics.
J-Rod is just the 6th player in the last 10 years with a rushing TD and an INT in the same game.
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) November 17, 2025
And the 2nd @Big12Conference player to do so in league history.@HeismanTrophy I want to vote for #JacobRodriguez pic.twitter.com/b7BzNNErBf
However, the noise generated by his campaign has overshadowed his other achievements. A trip to New York would be the cherry on top, but Rodriguez's Week 12 outing earned him his third straight Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award.
It was his fourth of the season, underscoring his dominant run. Rodriguez should be considered the favorite to come home with the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award as the conference's leader in solo tackles, forced fumbles, and interceptions.
The last Texas Tech player to earn a Big 12 Player of the Year nod was defensive back Dwayne Slay, who received the recognition from the Associated Press. He led the conference with 75 tackles and set the Big 12 record with eight forced fumbles — one more than Rodriguez has in 2025.
The best ̶d̶e̶f̶e̶n̶s̶i̶v̶e̶ player in college football.@Jacob_R_10 | @HeismanTrophy pic.twitter.com/CopkukS79h
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) November 16, 2025
Beyond conference honors, Rodriguez should be in the running for multiple national awards. He was named a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Chuck Bednarik Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award, and Collegiate Man of the Year.
The Butkus Award is handed out to the best linebacker in college football and has never been won by a player from Texas Tech. The Chuck Bednarik Award is given to the nation's best defensive player; similarly, it has never been won by a Red Raider.
Rodriguez has a chance to earn multiple firsts for Texas Tech's program. None would be bigger, though, than a Heisman nod. The last time Texas Tech was in contention for the country's most coveted award was in 2008.
Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell finished fourth in Heisman voting in 2008. It was not until 2021 that the ceremony officially invited four finalists each season; Harrell did not make the trip to New York that year, as only three athletes earned that distinction. Wide receiver Michael Crabtree finished fifth that same season.
Rodriguez's chances of winning the Heisman are historically slim; only two defensive players have ever won the award. As well, both were defensive backs who also contributed on offense. Rodriguez — as an off-ball linebacker — is facing an uphill battle to become the first finalist at his position since Notre Dame's Manti Te'o.
In recent seasons, the award has gone to quarterbacks, reflected in the current consensus favorites: Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.
"I kind of made the joke we let him play quarterback today [against UCF], so maybe that helps him out since they want to bring quarterbacks," Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said during the team's post-game press conference on Saturday, Nov. 15.
Regardless of where he lands in the Heisman voting, Rodriguez is sure to be honored for his achievements and should come home with hardware by the season's end.
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Jordan Epp is a journalist who graduated from Texas A&M in 2022 and is passionate about telling stories, sharing news, and finding ways to entertain people through the medium of sports. He has formerly worked as a writer and editor at The Battalion and The Eagle, covering football in College Station, Texas, and served as the managing editor for PFSN.
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