Texas Tech has Proven They are a National Championship Contender
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Here are the reasons why Texas Tech is playing like a team destined to make it to the national championship game.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders have solidified their status as serious contenders for the College Football Playoff and possibly a spot in the national championship game with their 6-0 start to the 2025 season, which was recently highlighted by a commanding 42-17 victory over Kansas.
Texas Tech is a contender for a national championship for the following main reasons.
The Elite Talent and "All-In" Roster Overhaul has really shown this season, as the Red Raiders have had the most talented players on the field through their first six games. Texas Tech's bold and extremely successful offseason approach is the cornerstone of its success this season, especially on defense, which has shown much improvement from last season.
The main reason for the increase in overall talent is that this offseason, Texas Tech secured the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country. The program and head coach Joey McGuire were "all-in" on creating a winning team right away for this season, and the Red Raiders being undefeated through six games proves that the added players they got through the transfer portal have greatly improved their team this season. The significant investments in what was considered to be the best transfer portal class in the country have infused the talent in important gaps and given them instant championship hopes and aspirations for this season.
Immediate defensive improvement this season makes Texas Tech a national championship contender. A defense that struggled last season, especially against the pass, was significantly enhanced by the transfer arrivals this season, and now the Red Raiders pass in the top 6 of the Big 12 conference this season. The Red Raiders have a strong defensive front that finished with nine sacks against the Jayhawks, thanks to the transformation of key defensive linemen like Romello Height and David Bailey, who had three sacks against Kansas. The defense is now a team capable of winning the Big 12 championship and a spot in the national championship game.
6⃣-0 for the first time since 2013😱
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) October 12, 2025
Kansas vs. #9 Texas Tech Highlights🎬#Big12FB | @TexasTechFB pic.twitter.com/eKaY3SgcKC
Texas Tech's offensive depth and firepower, with the addition of returning players and the transfer haul, added offensive game-changers for the Red Raiders' offense this season. Even though starting quarterback Behren Morton was injured in their game against the Jayhawks, the offense's depth was on display in the victory over Kansas, as they controlled the game on the ground with 372 running yards, including 263 yards from Cameron Dickey. Texas Tech has the number one scoring offense in the Big 12 this season, as well as the No. 2 passing offense and No. 3 rushing attack in the conference this season.
Through six games, Texas Tech is the clear favorite to win the Big 12 conference championship. An unbeaten or one-loss Big 12 winner has a much higher probability of earning a top-tier spot in the 12-team College Football Playoffs. Texas Tech is already predicted to be a top-four seed in the enlarged CFP field heading into their seventh game of the season.
The rest of the schedule is good, but there are still plenty of chances to expand your resume, such as home games versus BYU and UCF, and away games against Arizona State and Kansas State. Achieving a top-four ranking in the CFP is in plain sight with wins over these teams in conference play.
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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.