Joel Klatt predicts this 'CFP contender' to win Big 12 and go 12-1

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt put Texas Tech in his new updated College Football Playoff picture this week.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt put Texas Tech in his new updated College Football Playoff picture this week. In his October bracket reveal, Klatt slotted the Red Raiders as his No. 5 seed and projected them as Big 12 champions, behind top-four byes of Ohio State, Miami, Oregon and Texas. "I think this team has a good chance to be at worst 12-1... That's Texas Tech. So, Texas Tech gets my number five seed... I'm a big believer in Texas Tech at this point."

Texas Tech is 4-0 and 1-0 in the Big 12, with a 208–45 scoring margin. That works out to 52.0 points per game and 11.3 allowed. The Red Raiders are also up to No. 11 in the AP Top 25 Poll. Tech is ranked top five nationally in yards per game (532.7) and top 10 in opponent yards per game (258.0). Quarterback Behren Morton has topped 1,000 passing yards already, spreading the ball to playmakers like Coy Eakin and Reggie Virgil, while RB Cameron Dickey leads the ground game. Corner Brice Pollock also has three interceptions.

Texas Tech's biggest win is the 34-10 road rout of then-No. 16 Utah on Sept. 20. Backup quarterback Will Hammond sparked four scoring drives and the defense controlled the night. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez forced a fumble and later added a one-handed interception to finish with a team-high 11 tackles. He was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week two days later.

Klatt’s optimism centers on the chemistry that Texas Tech now has, despite much of their roster being made up of transfer players. "Again, their chemistry is fantastic," Klatt said. "For a group of guys that came together through the transfer portal, their chemistry blew me away when I was meeting with some of those players before that game against Utah. And Utah is not a bad team. And this Tech team handled them at the line of scrimmage. That tells me a great deal about their ability to play physical."

The Utes entered the game against Texas Tech averaging 45.7 points and 517 yards per game; Tech held them to 10 points and forced four turnovers, so it makes sense that Klatt came away impressed.

There's still some proving to do as the three wins prior to Utah — AR Pine Bluff, Kent State, Oregon State — weren't exactly challenging. The Big 12 conference depth is decent, and a trip to undefeated Houston this weekend will test Tech's maturity against a familiar opponent.

Joel Klatt's New October Bracket

1. Ohio State
2. Miami
3. Oregon
4. Texas
5. Texas Tech
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas A&M
8. Alabama
9. Penn State
10. Georgia
11. Notre Dame
12. USF