BYU rallies for Texas Tech's Maddie with crazy generosity after drunk driver accident

Texas Tech football's barber Ivan Ortiz's wife Maddie was critically injured by a drunk driver. BYU fans rallied to exponentially exceed the $25k asked to help.

Sept. 19, 2009; Provo, UT, USA; BYU Cougars offensive lineman Jordan Richardson holds his helmet up with teammates during the kickoff for the game against the Florida State Seminoles at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Florida State defeated BYU 54-28. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's early November, and the biggest game on college football slate is not in the SEC or the Big Ten.

It's in Lubbock, Texas, where the undefeated No. 8 BYU Cougars travel to face the No. 9 Texas Tech Red Raiders, with ESPN's "College GameDay" descending on the raucous campus for the first time in 17 years.

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Texas Tech's Coy Eakin runs after a catch against Oklahoma State in a Big 12 football game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last time it produced an instant classic, when Michael Crabtree ended the game for the Red Raiders with a touchdown to take down the No. 1 Texas Longhorns.

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The last time College GameDay went to Texas Tech, Michael Crabtree did this to lead the Red Raiders to a win over No. 1 Texas 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/YJPHgDX82S

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 6, 2025

Away from the field, a horrible accident involving Texas Tech's team barber Ivan Ortiz's wife Maddie became a rallying cry not only for Red Raider fans, but also with the BYU community.

Ortiz shared the details on a GoFundMe page, where Maddie was "critically injured in a devastating car accident caused by a drunk driver," asking for $25k to help pay for medical expenses. Ortiz added that Maddie had severe injuries, and is facing several surgeries, and a long road to recovery.

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As of this posting, Ortiz has raised over $176k, including a single $25k donation, and we'd imagine that number will well surpass $200k by the end of the Big 12 showdown. (We'll update the new number after the game.)

From the photo that Mr. Ortiz shared, it also looks like they have a young son, adding to the heartache.

In tragedy, it's amazing to see the generosity from BYU fans especially, who have a reputation of helping those in need, even when it's for the opposing team.

College GameDay just told fans this is the best morning crowd of the year. pic.twitter.com/6j3obkc64s

— Ty Kaplan (@TyKaplan_) November 8, 2025

So no matter what happens on the field today, where Texas Tech's most famous football alum, three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes will be in attendance, hopefully Maddie and the Ortiz will feel a little less burden financially on her long road to recovery.

For the first time in 17 years, WE’RE LIVE FROM LUBBOCK!

Watch College GameDay all morning long here: https://t.co/3IitrIDcGK

— ESPN (@espn) November 8, 2025

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —

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