CFP Ranks Texas Tech at 12, OSU at 25 Ahead of Massive Big 12 Showdown

LUBBOCK - The latest batch of rankings from the College Football Playoff Selection Committee were unveiled on Tuesday night, with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State making the cut before their meeting this weekend.

According to those in the committee room, the Red Raiders were worthy of a three-spot improvement but no more after a nail-biting 53-48 win over West Virginia inside Galaxy Stadium late last Saturday.

READ MORE: Can Tommy Castellanos Carry Texas Tech Back to the Big 12 Championship?

The boost to from No. 15 to No. 12 signals that Texas Tech is still very much alive in the at-large conversation, but also shows that there is work left to be done this season for the Red Raiders.

With three games left to play, the final stretch gets underway in Stillwater, where Oklahoma State lies in wait for another late-night clash within the Big 12.

But the Cowboys are not just the home underdog looking to spoil the season of one of the conference's prime contenders, they are looking to keep their title hopes alive with an upset victory.

In the latest CFP Top 25, Oklahoma State snuck in at No. 25 to make its debut in the official rankings this year.

While the gap from No. 12 to No. 25 is somewhat large, the fact that they are ranked at any spot still highlights that these newest Cowboys are not a bunch to be taken lightly by Texas Tech.

Under first-year head coach and former Red Raider Eric Morris, Oklahoma State has started to creep closer to the quality of program that was long revered in Stillwater for decades.

Outside of a bizarre loss to Tulsa to open the season, the team has come alive as one of the most dangerous offensive units in the nation and put together an overall record of 6-3.

This includes an early season win over Oregon, which still had starting quarterback Dante Moore available during that matchup. Even in the absence of Moore, the Ducks have reemerged a potential CFP participant after being ranked No. 16 in the latest poll.

Led by top NFL Draft prospect Drew Mestemaker at quarterback, the Cowboys eye another marquee win in the initial outing from Morris, who is also attempting to take down his alma mater.

On the opposite sideline, Texas Tech has a dynamic quarterback of its own that has come out of nowhere that is not planning on cooling off for the Red Raiders anytime soon.

Thomas Castellanos has started the last two games for Texas Tech, which have both resulted in wins and newfound accolades for the longtime collegiate passer.

In his most recent outing against the Mountaineers, the fifth-year starter tossed for over 350 yards and five touchdowns in the victory, both of which were career highs.

READ MORE: Texas Tech Faces Major Threat in Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker

Much like the previous game for Texas Tech, expect plenty of fireworks to burst over the skies of Boone-Pickens Stadium when the Red Raiders and Cowboys duke it out at 8:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.

And that spectacle may warrant the attention from those far outside of the reaches of Lubbock and Stillwater, if the recent update to the rankings is any indication.