The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season are officially here, and the selection committee was very kind to Texas Tech. The committee had not just one, but two Big 12 teams making it into the playoff, and it just so happens to be the two teams playing each other this weekend.
The Red Raiders came in at No. 8 in these rankings, which is the highest ranking for a Big 12 team, coming in just one spot behind BYU at No. 7, the highest-ranked team in the conference. This week's game against the Cougars certainly is going to shake up these rankings, though, a win over undefeated BYU could put the Red Raiders right where they want to be.
As of right now, Texas Tech should have no problems making it in the College Football Playoff, but another loss could be detrimental to their rankings. Even a loss to an undefeated BYU team that could be the potential Big 12 Champion could still knock the Red Raiders out for good.
The initial College Football Playoff Rankings and the projected 12-team bracket: pic.twitter.com/jdeKYWIvhs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 5, 2025
Texas Tech's matchup against BYU is the biggest game of the season
Texas Tech is coming off a big win over a Kansas State team that seemed to be picking up steam, and they were playing in Manhattan, a very tough place to play. The Red Raiders will get to welcome BYU to Lubbock this week and get to play in the safety and comfort of their own home stadium.
The cougars bring a lot to the field, so this game certainly won't be easy, but as mentioned earlier, a loss could ruin their chance at getting into the playoffs. BYU has a better chance at making it in with a loss to the Red Raiders, but a two-loss Texas Tech team has a much tougher road ahead.
The only thing that could guarantee Texas Tech a chance to get in would be if they got into the Big 12 Championship game and were able to win it all to secure the automatic bid and even shake up the playoff just a bit.