Chris Level (Locked On Tech) helps us get to know Raiders rookie Guard from Texas Tech, Caleb Rogers, and what we are getting from the 3rd round pick as both a player and a person. Paul Gutierrez (Ra...

Last week, the Texas Tech football social media team sent a clear message about the biggest question mark surrounding this year’s team. With Brendan Sorsby no longer in the picture after an offseason saga where the Cincinnati transfer lost his eligibility when the NCAA learned he made thousands of bets and even gambled on his own team, this is Will Hammond’s team now. > QB1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oBIBmykCtT > > — Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) July 24, 2026 The reins have been handed over to the sophomore quarterback, who had his 2025 season cut short by a torn ACL suffered in late October. That’s a view quickly backed up by his teammates and his coach. “The guy’s a dog, bro. He’s one of the first ones in the facility and one of the last ones to leave,” preseason All-Big 12 tight end Terrance Carter Jr. said of Hammond at Big 12 media days three weeks ago. > “The guy’s a dog, bro. He’s one of the first ones in the facility and one of the last ones to leave.” > > Texas Tech tight end Terrance Carter Jr., on Will Hammond “His work ethic is insane. He pushes me to go every day. (There’d) be days I don’t even want to catch sometimes, he’d be like, ‘Nah bro, 11:30, we outside.’ I’m like, ‘Got you, bro. I’m there.’ That just shows you how much everybody bought into it.” Earlier this offseason, as the Sorsby drama unfolded, questions abounded about when Hammond, coming off a major injury, might be available to play. Several times in recent weeks, though, Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire has expressed optimism that Hammond could be ready for the season opener when the Red Raiders host Abilene Christian on Sept. 5. Time will tell if that happens, and whether the Red Raiders will start him before the team’s Week 3 Big 12 opener against Houston. If not, Lloyd Jones III or Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis will get the nod. Said McGuire: “I feel good about that (QB) room. We just need to stay on track.” What is assured, though, is that this is Hammond’s team — and he’s not only got the confidence within himself to take on the QB1 mantle, but his teammates and coach have the utmost confidence in him as well. ### The confidence and preparation to lead a program That confidence could be a major catalyst if Texas Tech repeats as conference champions and makes it back to the College Football Playoff. “Will has a super bright future. He’s a fantastic teammate,” senior linebacker Ben Roberts said. “He knows everybody on the team, and a lot of guys at a lot of places don’t. He prepares himself the way that, like he’s the starter. He’s been doing that since he got to Texas Tech, and he’s got a whole lot of confidence.” That self-assuredness carries weight with his teammates. “He’s so confident as a young player, it just breathes throughout the whole team,” said defensive tackle AJ Holmes Jr., the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. “And then his work ethic, the work he put in, it’s just bound to have a good outcome.” Why Texas Tech might not miss Brendan Sorsby Will aftermath of Texas Tech’s offseason drama linger into the season? His coach echoes those sentiments, while adding it’s not by coincidence or luck — Hammond is prepared. “That young man, he’s one of the guys — he’s one of the first two or three people in the building. He’s one of the last ones to leave. Extremely hard worker," McGuire said of Hammond, who joined Texas Tech as a four-star talent from the Austin area in 2024. “He’s got great confidence in himself, and he’s prepared himself to be in the position he’s in. He’s got really an infectious personality that people just gravitate to. I think that’s why there’s a lot of confidence in Will.” ### The mindset of a competitor As both his coaches and teammates recall, before Sorsby was brought in, Hammond was already preparing for the time when he would take over the program as the team’s QB1. Last season, as the Red Raiders won the Big 12 and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff, they were led by two-year starter Behren Morton. But he was a senior, and there were times when Morton, now with the New England Patriots, was hurt, and that allowed Hammond to get important reps on the field. “He don’t care who you bring in, he’s gonna be the starter. That’s always been his mindset,” Carter said. “Last year ... he ended up getting hurt ... so we had to go get a QB (out of the transfer portal), but we all knew that was our QB1.” Hammond showcased his dual-threat abilities during the 2025 season while playing in eight games and starting two before his injury in a win over Oklahoma State. He ended up completing 63.3% of his passes for 680 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions, while also rushing for 299 yards and five touchdowns with a 7.0 yards-per-carry average. “We’ve been fortunate, one, that he hasn’t had any setbacks; and, two, if you ask Will Hammond throughout this process, he would tell you he was our starting quarterback and wasn’t going to back away,” McGuire said. No game last season showed off his potential more than when Texas Tech went into Rice-Eccles Stadium last September in a top-25 matchup with Utah. How a Latter-day Saint backup QB ‘ran the game plan’ and helped No. 17 Texas Tech beat No. 16 Utah Morton left the game early in the third quarter after getting injured, and Hammond took control of the hotly contested matchup. In just under a half of work, he completed 13 of 16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 61 yards on eight carries. Behind his stoic leadership, the Red Raiders pulled away late to win 34-10 after going into halftime up 10-3. “Whenever he checked into that Utah game, he was — Utah, I feel like most people would be pretty nervous in that situation. Not Will, though,” said Texas Tech center Sheridan Wilson. “Will was ready to go. He had that fire in his eyes.” His impact went beyond that impressive stat line, McGuire said. “Watch him come off the bench against Utah, and not the game that he played,” the coach said. “I’m not talking about the play, but the way the players reacted when he came into that game, the belief and the love they (have) for him. We’re fortunate to have him.” ### He won’t have to do it himself One key aspect to Texas Tech’s confidence that Hammond will come in and have the opportunity to take the Red Raiders to the next level — getting back to the playoff and winning this time — is that he is surrounded on offense by several all-conference-caliber players. Hammond won’t have to do it all alone. He’ll be joined in the background by the deepest running back group in the Big 12, and one of the best in the country, with Cameron Dickey, J’koby Williams and Quentin Joyner all back. “I think people forget that we got him, honestly,” Carter said of Joyner, who missed all of last season because of a late fall camp injury. Before that, Joyner was on the Doak Walker Award watch list. “I’m excited to see what he’s gonna do this year.” Dickey and Williams, meanwhile, combined for nearly 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns between them last season. There’s plenty of standout pass catchers, too, from Carter (51 receptions for 532 yards and three touchdowns in 2025) to Coy Eakin (48 receptions, 637 yards, six touchdowns) and including guys like former five-star talent Micah Hudson and Alabama State transfer Jalen Jones. The latter two are guys that Carter said to watch in this year’s offense. Up front, Texas Tech also brings back plenty of experience with guys like Wilson, senior left tackle Howard Sampson and sophomore right tackle Jacob Ponton. “The good thing is I think we have one of the top running back rooms in the country, if not the best. We have one of the top tight end rooms in the country. I think we’ve improved our offensive line. We’ve got a very deep wide receiver room,” McGuire said. “You know, it’s not all on him. He’s going to have a lot of people around him to help him succeed.”

ARLINGTON, Texas — There will be no conference crown for BYU this year. The Cougars were bested 34-7 by Texas Tech in Saturday’s Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium, suffering their second loss of the season and all but ending all hopes for a College Football Playoff berth. > Congratulations to @TexasTechFB on winning the Big 12 Championship. > > Proud of this team and the rising standard we’ve established. > > The foundation is sure. We’re just getting started. pic.twitter.com/asXCrHlckP > > — BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 6, 2025 ### 3 takeaways **BYU faded fast after a strong start.** The Cougars forced Texas Tech to punt on the first drive of the game, then traveled 90 yards across 14 plays to put LJ Martin in the end zone for an opening touchdown. That ended up being BYU’s lone score of the day. > LJ Martin battles into the end zone and @BYUfootball in on the board ‼️#Big12FB | 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/AIlSTZV2Gb > > — Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 6, 2025 Texas Tech posted 34 unanswered points to bury the Cougars, with BYU never again entering the red zone. Outside of the 90-yard opening drive, the Cougars managed just 110 yards on their next 12 possessions and turned the ball over four times — five if you count a failed fake punt. > BYU RUNS A FAKE PUNT!!! > > And it’s a disaster 🤦‍♂️ > pic.twitter.com/GdUapVU3J4 > > — SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) December 6, 2025 Some of BYU’s offensive struggles can be blamed on an early injury to quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who appeared to hurt his ankle just before Martin’s touchdown and never quite looked the same after. But the Cougar receivers couldn’t get much separation, the run game never truly got going and the offensive line was wildly overwhelmed. Even with a healthy Bachmeier — who ended up settling for 16 passes at or behind the line of scrimmage out of 27 total attempts, only throwing downfield three times — too much was already going against BYU. **Texas Tech dominated in the trenches, and BYU paid for it.** If you didn’t already believe the Red Raiders had the best defensive front seven in the country, Saturday should have changed your mind. Texas Tech held the Cougars to just 60 rushing yards at 2.1 yards per carry. The Red Raiders sacked Bachmeier twice, hit him four times, racked up eight tackles for loss and forced three fumbles. Red Raiders linebacker Ben Roberts also grabbed two interceptions, including an impressive one-handed snag. > Look ma, one hand 🖐️ > > Ben Roberts is the first player to record two INTs in a Big 12 Championship Game. > > 📺 ABC | https://t.co/VKdyjwIANM pic.twitter.com/DCXykbUI6a > > — Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 6, 2025 Fellow linebacker John Curry racked up 10 tackles, and Heisman Trophy candidate Jacob Rodriguez added another 13. In what this writer believes to be the play of the day, defensive lineman AJ Holmes burst through BYU’s offensive line to pummel Bachmeier and force a fumble, which essentially iced the ballgame in favor of the Lubbock faithful. > Say hello to A.J. Holmes > > 📺 ABC | https://t.co/VKdyjwIANM pic.twitter.com/3iwPnwuYTj > > — Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 6, 2025 **BYU’s Playoff dreams are dead.** With the Cougars No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings before Saturday’s blowout, it’s safe to assume they won’t be part of Sunday’s final bracket reveal. Perhaps a close loss to Texas Tech could have potentially swayed the Playoff committee to believe BYU belonged in the field, but the 34-7 loss prevents that from being the case. Whether it’s fair or not that a team with 11 regular season wins, solid metrics and two losses against a top 5 squad is left on the wrong side of the Playoff bubble — that’s another conversation — it doesn’t change the ultimate result of BYU not being able to play for a national championship. > One of the greatest seasons in @BYUfootball history. > > Not the outcome we envisioned, but a tremendous body of work to be proud of. A new standard has been set. > > Cougar Nation, thank you. Your energy fueled this journey. > > The best is still ahead. pic.twitter.com/ecZ78wWGV7 > > — BYU Cougars (@BYUCougars) December 6, 2025 It was still a special season in Provo. The Cougars won 11 regular season games in a Power Four league and reached a conference championship game for just the third time in program history, and they did it with a true freshman quarterback who didn’t commit to the program until May. BYU has a lot to be proud of. Saturday doesn’t change that. But it does sting to fall short of the national title chase.

_The Deseret News is providing live coverage of Saturday’s Big 12 championship game between BYU and Texas Tech. Check back for updates throughout the game._ ### Final **Texas Tech 34, BYU 7** > BIG 12 CHAMPIONS 🏆 > > Congratulations to @TexasTechFB for claiming the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Football Championship.#Big12FB | @EdwardJones pic.twitter.com/6PktjGsikY > > — Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 6, 2025 ### Fourth quarter **Texas Tech 34, BYU 7** **4:39** — Texas Tech adds another field goal, this time from 28 yards out.**Texas Tech 34, BYU 7.** **6:53** — How much worse can it get for BYU? LJ Martin fumbled on a screen reception to give the ball back to Texas Tech for the fourth Cougars turnover of the day. **Texas Tech 31, BYU 7.** **7:03** — The Red Raiders are pouring it on. On 4th down and 1, Behren Morton connected with Coy Eakin for a 28-yard touchdown to all but bury the Cougars. **Texas Tech 31, BYU 7.** **10:36** — Texas Tech misses a 49-yard field goal. **Texas Tech 24, BYU 7.** **12:40** — That should do it for the Cougars. Bear Bachmeier was intercepted for the second time today — with Red Raiders linebacker Ben Roberts snagging the pick on both occasions. **Texas Tech 24, BYU 7.** > Look ma, one hand 🖐️ > > Ben Roberts is the first player to record two INTs in a Big 12 Championship Game. > > 📺 ABC | https://t.co/VKdyjwIANM pic.twitter.com/DCXykbUI6a > > — Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 6, 2025 **12:49** — Another field goal puts Texas Tech ahead by 17 points.**Texas Tech 24, BYU 7.** **14:49** — Texas Tech’s defensive front has been dominant all night, and now its resulted in another BYU turnover. The Cougars were running what appeared to be a tornado reverse play, only for Red Raiders defensive lineman AJ Holmes to blow up the play, light up Bear Bachmeier and force a fumble that was recovered by Romello Height at the BYU 24-yard line. > Say hello to A.J. Holmes > > 📺 ABC | https://t.co/VKdyjwIANM pic.twitter.com/3iwPnwuYTj > > — Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 6, 2025 ### Third quarter **Texas Tech 21, BYU 7** **3:21** — Immediate points for Texas Tech off of the Bear Bachmeier interception. Cameron Dickey ran 11 yards into the end zone on the first play following the turnover, with a successful 2-point try giving the Red Raiders a 14-point advantage. **Texas Tech 21, BYU 7.** > Cameron Dickey walks right in as @TexasTechFB cashes in on the takeaway 💰#Big12FB | 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/NDBg8Tbe3a > > — Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 6, 2025 Given BYU’s offensive struggles and Texas Tech’s momentum, it will be as uphill a climb back into this ballgame as the Cougars have faced all year. **3:26** — Disaster for BYU. On a critical third down, Bear Bachmeier’s pass was picked off by Ben Roberts and returned to the BYU 10-yard line. **Texas Tech 13, BYU 7.** > BEN ROBERTS INTERCEPTION 🚨#Big12FB | 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/J1j4kk8dBR > > — Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 6, 2025 It was the first turnover of the game and could not have come at a worse time for the Cougars. **4:58** — BYU thwarts a Texas Tech trick play on fourth down to regain possession at its own 14-yard line. **Texas Tech 13, BYU 7.** Biggest drive of the day coming up for the Cougars, who need to establish some sort of offense outside of screen passes. **9:29** — Will Ferrin misses a 46-yard field goal to open the second half. **Texas Tech 13, BYU 7.** BYU traveled 47 yards on 12 plays to set up the kick, only for the Cougars to end up empty-handed on Ferrin’s seventh miss of the season — he previously missed six total kicks from 2023-24. The most alarming trend for BYU? The Cougars have no downfield passing attack, as banged-up Bear Bachmeier has thrown 14 screens out of his 19 total pass attempts. ### Halftime **Texas Tech 13, BYU 7** > 30 more pic.twitter.com/nrrPHAeAiz > > — Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 6, 2025 ### Second quarter **Texas Tech 13, BYU 7** **0:21** — Texas Tech nets a 40-yard field goal. **Texas Tech 13, BYU 7.** BYU’s offense has completely cratered, with just 24 yards of offense since its opening drive. The Red Raiders have racked up 228 yards of offense, but BYU’s defense has managed to prevent disaster. The Cougars will receive the second half kickoff. **4:51** — Texas Tech misses a 48-yard field goal wide left. **Texas Tech 10, BYU 7.** The missed kick helped to bail BYU out after a disastrous failed fake punt attempt a few plays earlier that gave the Red Raiders the ball at the Cougars’ 42-yard line. > BYU FAKES THE PUNT AND THEY DON’T CONVERT! pic.twitter.com/fVr6q6Yr52 > > — Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) December 6, 2025 But now with new life, BYU will look to regain its lost momentum down the final stretch of the first half. **10:42** — Texas Tech pulls ahead. Behren Morton fired 33 yards into the right corner endzone to Coy Eakin, who beat BYU’s Evan Johnson — though there may have been some questionable contact from Eakin — to haul in the touchdown. **Texas Tech 10, BYU 7.** > Cowboy Coy Eakin! pic.twitter.com/OWUVfvSgyz > > — Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 6, 2025 Texas Tech has now put up 176 yards of offense through three drives, with the touchdown capping a seven play, 61-yard drive. Now it’s time to see if the Cougars can respond with points of their own to stay in the fight. **14:56** — Texas Tech opens the second frame with a 23-yard field goal. **BYU 7, Texas Tech 3.** The Red Raiders traveled 70 yards across 11 plays for the field goal, gashing the Cougars early before BYU’s defense tightened up in the red zone to avoid a touchdown. Texas Tech is averaging just 2.4 yards per carry, but Behren Morton has completed 8 of 12 passes early and the Red Raiders are 3 of 5 on third down tries. In the first quarter alone, Texas Tech had three false start penalties — that’s something to monitor going forward. ### First quarter **BYU 7, Texas Tech** **4:58** — BYU strikes first in Arlington. Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin took a direct snap 10 yards into the end zone to give the Cougars an early lead. **BYU 7, Texas Tech 0.** > START US OFF LJ!!! > > 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/8c24BdWB9g > > — BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 6, 2025 BYU**** strung together a 14-play, 90-yard drive after forcing a Red Raiders punt, with Martin logging six touches and Bear Bachmeier going 4 of 6 in passing for 38 yards in a screen-heavy attack. The Cougars also rolled out an early trick play as Parker Kingston faked an end around and completed a 22-yard pass to tight end Carsen Ryan. ### How to watch the game BYU’s rematch with Texas Tech will be broadcast on ABC and can be streamed through the ESPN app. ### Pregame prep Here are a few stories to get you ready for the Big 12 championship game between BYU and Texas Tech. No. 11 BYU driven by disrespect, confidence ahead of rematch with No. 4 Texas Tech Time is now for BYU to prove it belongs in the CFP What will atmosphere be like at AT&T Stadium for Cougars-Red Raiders clash? How BYU and Texas Tech teamed up for a good cause before the Big 12 championship game ‘They’re discounting both of us’: Texas Tech coach lobbies for both Red Raiders and BYU to make CFP Chase Roberts made a bold promise last month. Can his team deliver a Big 12 title? How long has it been since BYU appeared in a conference championship game? Here’s what the world looked like back then How this BYU football team became one of the best stories of the 2025 season

ARLINGTON, Texas — There will be no upset in this year’s Big 12 championship game. The favored, No. 4-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders handled BYU 34-7 Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington to capture the Big 12 crown, almost certainly ending the Cougars’ hopes for a College Football Playoff berth. > BIG 12 CHAMPIONS 🏆 > > Congratulations to @TexasTechFB for claiming the 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Football Championship.#Big12FB | @EdwardJones pic.twitter.com/6PktjGsikY > > — Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 6, 2025 For Texas Tech, it’s the program’s first-ever Big 12 title and the first outright conference championship in Lubbock since 1955. While BYU opened the contest with a 90-yard touchdown drive, the Red Raiders answered with 34 unanswered points to bully, bury and blow out the Cougars in front of a national television audience. Highlights, key plays and photos from BYU’s Big 12 championship game loss to Texas Tech Texas Tech forced four BYU turnovers — two interceptions and two fumbles — and held the Cougars to just yards per carry along with total yards following their opening scoring drive. The Red Raiders will undoubtedly receive a first round bye in the College Football Playoff, while BYU will head to a non-Playoff bowl sometime after Christmas.

It was highly anticipated, and on Saturday evening, ESPN officially announced that its “College GameDay” show will go to Lubbock, Texas, next Saturday for the showdown between the currently ranked No. 10 BYU Cougars and No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders. > TEXAS TECH, ARE YOU READY?! > > Next up, we're headed to Lubbock for a Big 12 showdown between @BYUfootball and @TexasTechFB‼️ pic.twitter.com/Da4oo1luAk > > — College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 1, 2025 There is a very solid chance both teams will be ranked in the top 10 when the game takes place, as Texas Tech beat Kansas State 43-20 on Saturday, while No. 9 Vanderbilt and No. 10 Miami (BYU and Miami are tied in the AP poll this week) lost prior to the ‘GameDay’ announcement. The Cougars are on a bye this week. The BYU-Texas Tech game is set to kick off at 10 a.m. Mountain Time (11 a.m. local time in Lubbock) and will air on either ESPN or ABC. This will mark just the second time ever that ‘GameDay’ will air from Lubbock. The last time it did so was on Nov. 1, 2008, when No. 6 Texas Tech topped No. 1 Texas. The late Mike Leach, who graduated from BYU, was Texas Tech’s head coach at the time. Texas Tech was the road team two other times for ‘GameDay’ contests — in 2005 and 2009 — and lost both times. This will be BYU’s fourth involvement in ‘GameDay.’ It has lost the previous three contests. According to the NCAA, it is tied for the worst record in ‘GameDay’ contests with Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon State. It will mark the second week in a row that ‘GameDay’ will be at a Big 12 matchup, as it was in Salt Lake City on Saturday for the Utah-Cincinnati game.

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