ARLINGTON, Texas — On Saturday at AT&T Stadium, No. 11 BYU fell to No. 2 Texas Tech 34-7, a defeat that undercut a week of public lobbying by Big 12 figures for the Cougars’ inclusion in the 12-team College Football Playoff. BYU finished the regular season 11-2 while the Red Raiders improved to 12-1; Texas Tech’s starting quarterback Behren Morton remained unbeaten in games he started. Despite endorsements from Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire, BYU’s performance — marred by turnovers and limited offense — weakened its postseason argument.
Key takeaways
- BYU ended the regular season 11-2 after a 34-7 loss to No. 2 Texas Tech on Dec. 6 in Arlington, Texas.
- Texas Tech improved to 12-1; its starting quarterback Behren Morton has not lost a start this season.
- BYU’s quarterback Bear Bachmeier was limited by a lower-leg issue and threw two interceptions with a noted season-low passing total reported at 115 yards.
- The Big 12’s public lobbying included commissioner Brett Yormark and coach Joey McGuire urging the College Football Playoff committee to consider BYU among 12 teams.
- Box-score details reported varied; some sources cited BYU’s fewest season yards (200) while a drive-by-drive account recorded 90 total yards in the game.
- Notre Dame (10-2) sits ahead of BYU in current listings despite having a worse strength of schedule metrics referenced by Big 12 officials.
- Public and conference advocacy may not overcome the selection committee’s eye-test and comparative metrics for one of the final at-large slots.
Background
BYU joined the Big 12 this season and compiled an 11-1 mark before the conference title game push, generating debate about how new entrants are evaluated by the College Football Playoff committee. The Big 12’s stronger-than-expected top of the standings — led by Texas Tech — has created a case that the league should receive multiple playoff berths.
Across the season, BYU produced signature wins and a strong overall record but also accumulated two losses, both to the same opponent: Texas Tech. Those defeats amplified questions about whether two losses to a single conference rival weaken a team’s at-large credentials compared with other 10-2 or 11-1 candidates.
Conference leaders and rivals publicly amplified BYU’s résumé in the days before the selection show, arguing that the Cougars’ record, schedule and results warranted inclusion. That external advocacy set heightened expectations that a win on Saturday could clinch a spot; a loss, conversely, left the committee’s decision to the metrics and subjective assessments used in past CFP selections.
Main event
The championship-week matchup opened with Texas Tech asserting control. The Red Raiders’ defense limited BYU’s offense early, forcing punts and turnovers and preventing sustained drives. BYU managed one sustained opening-quarter drive culminating in a 10-yard touchdown run by LJ Martin, but thereafter struggled to move the ball consistently.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier appeared limited at times after a first-half lower-leg injury and finished with two interceptions and a reported season-low passing yardage figure. Play-by-play reporting noted a short passing day for Bachmeier, with a 22-yard completion to Parker Kingston among the few significant gains.
Stat lines cited in postgame notes varied: an aggregate claim that Texas Tech held BYU to its fewest yards of the season (200) appeared alongside a drive-level summary that totaled 90 yards for BYU in the contest. Texas Tech’s offense, led by Morton, produced points against short fields and capitalized on turnovers to build a decisive lead.
Coach Kalani Sitake acknowledged Texas Tech’s quality in postgame remarks, stressing that his team had faced the Red Raiders twice and that the opponent’s full-strength roster had been a major factor. Coach Joey McGuire, meanwhile, praised BYU’s season and urged the committee to weigh the Cougars’ overall résumé despite the loss.
Analysis & implications
From a committee-perspective, BYU’s 11-2 record is durable but complicated. Losses to a single opponent can be interpreted two ways: either as evidence of a matchup problem or as context for the team’s strength if that opponent is demonstrably elite. Texas Tech’s national standing bolsters the latter view but does not erase the two losses on paper.
Selection criteria mix objective metrics (strength of schedule, common opponents, record) with subjective evaluation (eye test). High-profile endorsements from conference leaders can draw attention to a team’s case but do not substitute for on-field evidence in the committee’s deliberations. BYU’s limited offensive performance in a high-visibility game is likely to weigh against them if competing at-large teams have similarly strong resumes without late-season setbacks.
For the Big 12, the result reinforces the conference’s top-heavy narrative: Texas Tech’s wins elevate the league’s national profile, but having multiple teams argued for playoff slots highlights both depth and selection complexity. If the committee awards two Big 12 berths, it will strengthen the conference’s standing; if not, questions about comparative metrics and regional bias will resurface.
Comparison & data
| Team | Record | Noted ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech | 12-1 | No. 2 |
| BYU | 11-2 | No. 11 |
| Notre Dame | 10-2 | No. 10 |
| Miami | 10-2 | Unranked/competing |
The table compares records and rankings cited in postgame coverage. These snapshot figures matter in committee comparisons, where head-to-head and conference championships are weighed alongside strength of schedule and recent performance. BYU’s 11-2 ledger is strong numerically but less persuasive when the most recent marquee game resulted in a decisive loss.
Reactions & quotes
Conference and opponent voices framed the postgame narrative immediately, offering both praise and practical perspective on how selection might unfold.
I think if you look at what Texas Tech has done, they’re the best team in the country for a reason. Who has played the best team in the country twice? We have.
Kalani Sitake, BYU head coach (postgame)
That’s a really good football team. I hope the committee looks at it because there are going to be two-loss teams out there, but there’s not going to be an 11-2 team. They did a great job throughout the season getting here.
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech head coach (postgame)
I would hope that they wouldn’t have to convince the selection committee, with a win today, that they deserve to be in the CFP. But it might take that.
Brett Yormark, Big 12 commissioner (pre-game comments)
Unconfirmed
- Reported total yardage figures for BYU in the game vary in postgame accounts (one report lists 200 season-low yards while a drive-by-drive summary lists a 90-yard total); these discrepancies are unresolved.
- How the selection committee will weigh two losses to the same opponent versus other teams’ resumes remains speculative until the committee announces final seeding.
Bottom line
BYU enters the CFP conversation with a strong 11-2 record and vocal support from Big 12 figures, but Saturday’s loss to a top-ranked Texas Tech undercut the on-field case. Public advocacy highlights perceived inequities in ranking and scheduling comparisons, yet the committee’s blend of metrics and judgment means the Cougars cannot rely on endorsements alone.
The coming days will clarify whether BYU’s overall résumé and conference advocacy are enough to secure an at-large slot. For BYU and the Big 12, the matchup underlined both the conference’s strength and the fine margins that decide postseason inclusion.
Sources
- KSL.com — regional news outlet (game coverage and quotes)
- FOX College Football (tweet) — national sports broadcaster (postgame highlights/quotes)