The Red Raiders travel to Arlington to compete in the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time.
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1) have qualified for their first ever Big 12 Championship Game appearance, setting up a rematch with one of the league's newest teams in the BYU Cougars (11-1) on Saturday.
It will be theRed Raiders' second game against BYU this season after winning in Lubbock on Nov. 8., 29-7.
These are two of the Big 12's most prolific offenses, but it was the defenses that were the story of that last matchup. Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez - who has grown into a folk hero here in the Hub City - is one of the nation's top defensive players and is ready to embrace the opportunity to continue this historic season for the No. 4-ranked Red Raiders.
Rodriguez has put together one of the best seasons for a linebacker in decades, and Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire has pushed a Heisman Trophy campaign for the senior captain. On Friday, Rodriguez was told that he won the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's top linebacker.
McGuire gone as far as giving the former high school quarterback snaps in the backfield from the goal line. In Tech's win over UCF, Rodriguez rushed for a one-yard touchdown to add to his season totals of 101 tackles, seven forced fumbles, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and six pass deflections. He has three total touchdowns on offense as a wildcat QB.
"The thing for me is there's nobody at the quarterback position that is having a year that we haven't seen before," McGuire said about Rodriguez and why he should be considered for college football's most prestigious award. "He's having a year at the linebacker position that we haven't seen."
"Every time you look up, he's at the ball," Red Raider senior quarterback Behren Morton said. "The way he can cause and flip momentum in a game, there's not another player in the country who can do that."
Rodriguez was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year this week, but he may have his hands full on Saturday lining up against LJ Martin, the BYU running back named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
Martin has rushed for 1,229 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Cougars this season.
“Yeah, I think they do a really good job with running the football. They don’t see a lot of pressure, they don’t get sacked a lot either. It’s a lot of credit to their game plan, their offensive line and their quarterback. I think they’re all extremely, extremely talented players," Rodriguez said, as he focuses his game plan on limiting Martin's explosiveness.
“But I think it all starts with stopping the run. Any good defense you need to set edges, and so then when you can do that, you get to rush the passer. You earn that right with stopping the run. Just excited for the matchup, I think they played really good football.”
Rodriguez would humbly acknowledge that Texas Tech has also played some really good football in 2025. The Red Raiders are on the precipice of reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. In the team's brand-new football facility, there lies an empty spot in the building's trophy area. Rodriguez wants to fill it.
“It’s a really good representation about what you know can be done here and what needs to be done here. I think everybody in West Texas, everybody in Lubbock has earned this, and I’m hoping that this team can be the team that will bring that to them.”
Texas Tech and BYU square off from AT&T Stadium in Arlington at 11 a.m. CT live on ABC.