Joel Klatt projects team could earn bye, play in College Football Playoff semifinal

On The Joel Klatt Show, the Fox Sports analyst said a top contender could earn a College Football Playoff bye and reach the semifinal round.

Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt believes the Texas Tech Red Raiders could earn bye and reach the College Football playoff semifinals after watching their dominant 29-7 win over BYU. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Texas Tech continues to push itself into the College Football Playoff conversation. After a commanding 29–7 win over BYU, the Red Raiders improved to 9–1 and solidified their standing as one of the Big 12’s most complete teams. Stone Harrington kicked a school-record five field goals, while linebacker Jacob Rodriguez forced two turnovers to lead a defense that held BYU to just 255 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Behren Morton threw for 216 yards and a touchdown, and running back Cameron Dickey added 121 rushing yards and a score as Texas Tech controlled the game from start to finish. The win marked the Red Raiders’ first top-10 matchup at Jones AT&T Stadium since 2008 and showcased a defense that has transformed into one of the nation’s best. They entered the weekend ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense and lowered that average even further.

The result not only kept Texas Tech in the Big 12 title race but also reignited a national debate about its College Football Playoff chances. With the Big 12’s top contenders falling behind, the Red Raiders’ mix of defensive strength and offensive balance continues to catch attention from analysts across the country.

Joel Klatt Predicts Texas Tech Could Earn a Playoff Bye

On Monday’s episode of The Joel Klatt Show, the Fox Sports analyst praised Texas Tech’s performance and projected the Red Raiders could finish high enough to earn a first-round bye in the expanded playoff format.

“I’ve been saying this all season,” Klatt said. “This team is dominant. They’ve dominated Utah and BYU, and those to me are two of the best teams in the Big 12. When I look at that defense and how they run the football, it’s clear they’re for real.”

Klatt pointed out that Texas Tech’s only loss came at Arizona State without its starting quarterback, something he believes the playoff committee should weigh heavily. “If the committee is actually paying attention, Tech could rise pretty dramatically,” he added. “We could see them in the top six or seven in this week’s rankings.”

Texas Tech Red Raiders running backs Cameron Dickey (8) and J'Koby Williams have combined for 1,469 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns this season. | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

He went even further, suggesting the Red Raiders might already be in line for a playoff bye. “At a minimum, this team is going to be in a quarterfinal and maybe a semifinal,” Klatt said. “If they take care of business in the Big 12, they could have an outright bye. I love what I’m seeing right now.”

The Red Raiders will try to stay hot when they host UCF on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox.