Here's how College Football 26 sees Texas Tech's season playing out

After signing the top transfer portal recruiting class in the country, Texas Tech enters the 2025 season with expectations as high as the West Texas sky. Returners such as Jacob Rodriguez, Behren Morton and Caleb Douglas, combined with the incoming portal talent, has Red Raider Nation buzzing.

Before the season kicks off though, what does the virtual world think of the Red Raiders’ chances this fall?

The popular College Football 26 video game released this week, and RedRaiderSports hopped into a Dynasty and simmed a season to see what Texas Tech’s future looks like.

Tech gets off to a hot start

The Red Raiders couldn’t have drawn up a better start to the season.

After going undefeated in non-conference, Joey McGuire’s group also won five (5) straight to begin Big 12 play. Yes, at the first CFP poll of the season, Texas Tech was 8-0.

The Red Raiders were sitting pretty at No. 5 in the rankings, and quarterback Behren Morton was fifth in the Heisman race. Everything was going according to plan.

Can the Red Raiders finish strong and win the Big 12?

With eight games down, undefeated Texas Tech’s remaining schedule was daunting. A road trip to Manhattan, Kansas to face the Wildcats in what has been a house of horrors for the Red Raiders. A home date with BYU, who was on their way to a double digit win season. A home finale against UCF. And finally, a long road trip to Morgantown, West Virginia for a game vs the Mountaineers in front of a sparse crowd on Thanksgiving weekend.

It did not go the way anyone in West Texas wanted it to.

While Tech did beat Kansas State to go 9-0, they would lose the following game in Lubbock by a close score of 31-28 to BYU.

A bounce back 42-7 blowout win vs UCF took Texas Tech to 10-1 on the year, and back to No. 6 in the CFP poll. A win would surely lock in Texas Tech’s spot in the College Football Playoff. Even a narrow loss would likely have Tech in.

What happened? West Virginia, 4-7 on the season going in with nothing to play for, wallops Texas Tech 44-14. Worst of all, the loss dropped Texas Tech from No. 6 in the CFP poll to No. 13 and on the outside looking in.

The loss cost Texas Tech dearly. From a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and the College Football Playoff to out of both, all because of one miserable night in Morgantown. Texas Tech finished tied for 3rd in the conference with Arizona State.

The Big 12 title game ended up being BYU vs Baylor, with the Cougars eeking out a 19-14 win. Other Power 4 champions were Miami over Clemson in the ACC, Indiana over Ohio State in the Big Ten and Georgia over Missouri in the SEC.

Disappointing ending, but Tech’s season did not go without positives

Though not the finish anyone wanted, Texas Tech accepted an invitation to the Pop-Tarts Bowl where they would take on Georgia State.

A huge game from the offense – 508 total yards and over 7 yards per play – made this game comfortable for Texas Tech fans everywhere. The Red Raiders were Pop-Tarts Bowl Champions.

There were also several statistical highlights from the season.

Quarterback Behren Morton finished 262-390 (67%) for 3,266 yards, 29 passing touchdowns to 4 interceptions. He also added 89 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns.

On the ground Texas Tech was led by running backs Quinten Joyner (911 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns) and J’Koby Williams (360 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns).

Receiving wise, Reggie Virgil went for 77 receptions, 953 yards and 9 touchdowns. Caleb Douglas caught 55 balls for 818 yards and 6 touchdowns. Coy Eakin had a big season out of the slot with 58 catches for 817 yards and 10 touchdowns. Tight end transfer Terrance Carter Jr caught 60 passes for 585 yards and 4 touchdowns. Former five-star Micah Hudson had a successful season as well, pitching in with 24 receptions for 304 yards and a score.

Defensively, Ben Roberts and Jacob Rodriguez led the team in tackles with 71 and 70 respectively. Transfers Romello Height (12 sacks), David Bailey (7.5 sacks), Skyler Gill-Howard (5.5 sacks) and Lee Hunter (4 sacks) brought the pressure. Charlotte cornerback transfer Dontae Balfour led the team with 4 interceptions.

After the season, Texas Tech had 4 players drafted, with EDGE David Bailey (1st round), LB Jacob Rodriguez (3rd round), DT Lee Hunter (5th round) and QB Behren Morton (6th round) heading off to the NFL.

The Big 12 shows out in the College Football Playoff

A 10-2 regular season was enough for Arizona State to not only make the College Football Playoff, but enough to be ranked as the No. 3 seed and earn a first round bye.

BYU, the Big 12 Champions, also earned a first round bye and received the No. 2 overall seed.

The quarterfinals were cake walks for both, with Arizona State taking down South Carolina 48-24 and BYU putting a beat down on Missouri, 41-17. Those wouldn’t be the last Big 12 wins over the SEC.

ASU and BYU would meet in the semifinals, with a barnburner of a game ending 44-42 in favor of the Sun Devils.

The boys from Tempe were headed to the National Championship and a date vs the Georgia Bulldogs. They got the job done too, winning 24-17. A Big 12 team rules over college football once again.