Week 13 Bye Week Rooting Guide for the Texas Tech Red Raiders

A bye week gives the No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-1, 7-1 in the Big 12) a week off before finishing off their regular season against the West Virginia Mountaineers (4-7, 2-6) in Morgantown, W. Va., on Saturday, Nov. 29. However, there will still be plenty of college football action that will directly impact Texas Tech and its postseason aspirations, especially within the Big 12.

For Red Raiders fans who want to watch Week 13's action with their own self-interest in mind, this rooting guide will break down which teams can provide the Red Raiders with the biggest advantage in the postseason.

Which Teams Could Help Texas Tech the Most With Wins in Week 13?

Notably, Texas Tech is just one win away from securing a berth in the Big 12 Championship Game. With a win over West Virginia, the Red Raiders will have the chance to play for the conference title. However, with the help of some conference rivals, Tech could advance without even needing to play in Week 14.

Four scenarios could give the Red Raiders an immediate bid to the conference championship game:

• Colorado win + BYU win OR
• Colorado win + TCU win OR
• Colorado win + Kansas State win OR
• Cincinnati win + Kansas State win

Texas Tech's Johncarlos Miller II (right) celebrates with Caleb Douglas after Douglas' touchdown against BYU during a Big 12 Conference football game | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes (3-7, 1-6) face off against the No. 25 Arizona State Sun Devils (7-3, 5-2) in Week 13 in Boulder, Colo. Given Texas Tech's Week 8 loss to Arizona State, a loss from the Sun Devils is advantageous for the Red Raiders in tiebreaker scenarios. However, the Buffaloes have struggled this season, winning just one game in Big 12 action through 12 weeks.

Similarly, a win from the No. 11 BYU Cougars (9-1, 6-1) could actually help Texas Tech. Facing off against Cincinnati (7-3, 5-2), the Cougars could assist the Red Raiders with the Bearcats' third conference loss, giving Tech a win over every team that could end with two or fewer losses in Big 12 action.

The matchup between BYU and Cincinnati will have big implications for which teams advance to the conference title game. The Cougars and Red Raiders control their own destinies, but a win from the Bearcats would muddy the water.

Matchups between Kansas State (5-5, 4-3) and Utah (8-2, 5-2), as well as TCU (6-4, 3-4) and Houston (8-2, 5-2), could also impact Texas Tech through tiebreaker scenarios. A win from any Big 12 team that the Red Raiders have already faced helps boost their conference opponent win percentage, which matters for multiple-team tiebreakers.

However, a win by TCU over Houston helps Texas Tech finish over Cincinnati and BYU in a potential four-way tie with Utah.

Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Brice Pollock (14) and defensive back Brenden Jordan (7) react to a defensive stop against the Utah Utes during the third quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Outside of the Big 12, the Red Raiders could hope to continue their ascent up the College Football Playoff rankings, where they currently rank fifth. The four teams ranked above Texas Tech are Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia, respectively.

A loss by any of those four teams would lift Tech into the top four, setting the Red Raiders up for a potential first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. However, none of the top four schools face top-tier competition in Week 13.

Both SEC teams — the Aggies and the Bulldogs — play non-conference opponents, with A&M squaring off against Samford and Georgia hosting Charlotte. Indiana has a Week 13 bye, and Ohio State hosts Rutgers.

Texas Tech has the advantage of controlling its own path — a win in Week 14 guarantees a Big 12 Championship Game appearance, and a conference title all but guarantees the Red Raiders either a first-round bye or the top seed among first-round participants. The name of the game for Tech is to just win, but that does not mean they can not have a little help along the way.

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