Lead: On Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 at Noon ET in Miami Gardens, No. 5 Oregon defeated No. 4 Texas Tech 23-0 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl. The Ducks (13-1) combined a stingy defense with timely special-teams kicking to produce the shutout, while Texas Tech (12-2) managed only 215 yards and committed four turnovers. Attendance at Hard Rock Stadium was 65,021; kickoff was at 12:11 p.m. ET and the game lasted 3:27. Oregon now advances to a CFP semifinal in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, where it will face the winner of No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0 — Oregon earned its first shutout of an AP-ranked opponent since 2012.
- Turnover margin: Oregon +2 on the stat line (three fumbles lost by Tech listed as 2-2 and Oregon with three fumbles lost 3-0 overall team box) and several game-changing takeaways, including a forced fumble by Matayo Uiagalelei and three takeaways by freshman DB Brandon Finney Jr.
- Offense: QB Dante Moore passed for 234 yards; RB Jordon Davison rushed for 42 yards and two touchdowns.
- Special teams: Kicker Atticus Sappington converted three field goals (50, 39, 43) and missed one (36), providing 9 of Oregon’s 23 points.
- Texas Tech stalled all day: 215 total yards, 4 three-and-outs, stopped on three fourth-down tries and two interceptions thrown by Behren Morton.
- Game control: Oregon ran 81 plays for 309 yards; Texas Tech ran 62 plays for 215 yards and converted 0-of-3 on fourth down.
- Context in the new 12-team CFP format: the bye team lost again in a quarterfinal, marking the sixth such result since last season’s tournament structure began.
Background
The 2026 College Football Playoff uses a 12-team bracket in which higher seeds receive byes into the quarterfinals. Oregon entered the Orange Bowl after a first-round win over James Madison (51-34) and carried a 13-1 record into Miami Gardens. Texas Tech came in as a high-scoring offense (ranked second nationally in points per game at 42.5 and fifth in yards per game at 480.3) with a 12-2 mark, expected to challenge Oregon’s defense.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s program has emphasized defensive identity this season, and the Ducks responded after public criticism of last week’s defensive performance. Texas Tech, led by coach Joey McGuire and QB Behren Morton, relied on a fast-paced attack all season; the matchup presented a classic contrast—Oregon’s defensive discipline versus Texas Tech’s explosive scoring ability.
The Orange Bowl also carried broader implications: the winner moves on to a national semifinal on Jan. 9 and remains in contention for the national title game on Jan. 19 in Miami Gardens. The game was televised on ESPN and drew a crowd of 65,021 to Hard Rock Stadium.
Main Event
The scoring opened late in the first quarter when Oregon’s Atticus Sappington drilled a 50-yard field goal after a sustained 10-play, 43-yard drive. Sappington added a 39-yarder early in the second quarter, putting the Ducks ahead 6-0 at halftime despite limited offensive explosiveness. Texas Tech’s offense struggled to sustain drives and failed to convert several third-down opportunities.
Momentum swung decisively early in the third quarter when Matayo Uiagalelei stripped Behren Morton and recovered possession in Texas Tech territory; Oregon needed only one play from there as Jordon Davison barreled in for a 6-yard touchdown to make it 13-0. The forced turnover followed a series of stalls by the Red Raiders and showcased Oregon’s ability to convert defense into points.
In the fourth quarter, Sappington connected on a 43-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 16-0. Morton’s day took another turn when he threw a red-zone interception early in the fourth, negating Texas Tech’s best scoring opportunity. Late in the period, an Oregon defensive stand on fourth down at the Texas Tech 30 extinguished any realistic comeback, and Davison finished the scoring with a 1-yard plunge with 16 seconds remaining.
Stat lines reinforced the narrative: Oregon ran 81 plays for 309 total yards (245 passing, 64 rushing), while Texas Tech managed 62 plays for 215 total yards (137 passing, 78 rushing). Oregon finished with 16 first downs to Texas Tech’s 9 and blocked or forced multiple turnovers that keyed field-position swings.
Analysis & Implications
Defensively, Oregon executed a disciplined game plan that took away Texas Tech’s talents in the intermediate passing game and pressured the quarterback selectively. The Ducks recorded four sacks for a loss of 39 yards and limited Tech’s third-down conversions to 6-of-16, a significant step up from what top offenses typically allow. Freshman Brandon Finney Jr.’s two interceptions and fumble recovery highlighted depth in the secondary and boosted Oregon’s turnover differential.
For Texas Tech, the loss exposes how even prolific offenses are vulnerable when turnovers and stalled drives dominate the box score. The Red Raiders’ explosive-play rate was near zero against Oregon; long gains were scarce, and the team failed to establish a rhythm on first and second downs, reflected in only nine first downs on the day.
Strategically, Oregon’s mix of timely field goals and short-yardage rushing to close drives showed a pragmatic approach—when the explosive play wasn’t there, the Ducks manufactured points and controlled game tempo. That approach could carry forward into the Peach Bowl, where consistent defense and special teams might be the margin against a top seed like Indiana or an experienced Alabama team.
On the macro level, the quarterfinal result adds to a pattern in the new 12-team CFP that gives teams playing a first-round game momentum over rested bye teams. Through this game, teams with first-round wins have frequently outperformed rested opponents in the quarterfinals, raising questions about the value of extended rest versus game sharpness in tournament seeding and scheduling.
Comparison & Data
| Stat | Oregon | Texas Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 23 | 0 |
| Total Yards | 309 | 215 |
| Passing Yards | 245 | 137 |
| Rushing Yards | 64 | 78 |
| Turnovers | 2 (opponent fumbles/ints credited) | 4 |
| First Downs | 16 | 9 |
| Time of Game | Kickoff 12:11 p.m. ET — End 3:38 p.m. ET (3:27) | |
The table above selects the headline statistics that decided the game: a 94-yard difference in total offense and a two-score swing from turnovers and special teams. Oregon ran 81 plays to Texas Tech’s 62, which contributed to better field-position outcomes for the Ducks. While Texas Tech outgained Oregon on the ground by a slim margin, its passing game was held to season-low effectiveness against a coordinated Oregon secondary.
Reactions & Quotes
Oregon coach Dan Lanning framed the result around effort and purpose, praising his players for answering criticism from the prior week and executing a focused defensive plan.
“They’ve earned this opportunity. I told them go get their pound of flesh today. They did that today.”
Dan Lanning, Oregon head coach
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire acknowledged his team’s season-long accomplishments while expressing disappointment about the quarterfinal exit. He also complimented Oregon’s performance.
“Texas Tech fans, I’m sorry that we let you down. This was such a special team and I’m so proud of them. Hats off to Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks.”
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech head coach
Oregon freshman defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. emphasized belief in the unit after a dominant showing.
“I believe we have the best defense in the country.”
Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon DB
Unconfirmed
- No credible reports were found linking any major in-game injury to prolonged absence beyond routine postgame evaluations; official injury reports will be released by the programs.
- There were no verified claims that any officiating calls materially altered the outcome; postgame reviews were not reported to overturn scoring plays.
Bottom Line
Oregon advanced to the CFP semifinal in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9 by executing a defense-first game plan that produced turnovers, favorable field position and consistent kicking from Atticus Sappington. Dante Moore managed the offense efficiently, and Jordon Davison added short-yardage scoring that turned defensive stops into points. The Ducks’ 23-0 blanking of a high-powered Texas Tech squad is a signature postseason performance that validates their defensive identity.
For Texas Tech, the loss illustrates the vulnerability of even elite scoring offenses when turnovers and third-down failures accumulate. The Red Raiders finish 12-2 and will leave Miami Gardens with questions about situational execution, but their season featured notable offensive achievements that remain part of the program’s upward trajectory.
Looking ahead, Oregon’s defense and complementary special teams will be central to its chances in the Peach Bowl and, if it prevails there, in the Jan. 19 national title game. The broader CFP pattern—first-round momentum versus bye-week rust—will also be an area of scrutiny as the tournament progresses.