Texas Tech’s $28 Million Bet Faces Its Biggest Test Against Oregon within the CFP

To a large degree, Texas Tech’s historic investment in creating a football power has already been successful.

The Red Raiders have won a program-record 12 games, won their first outright conference championship since 1955 and didn’t just make their first College Football Playoff but earned the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye.

That alone should probably be validation for mega booster Cody Campbell, who funded a large portion of what is reportedly a $28 million roster with some of the top transfer additions from all over the country.

Especially considering Texas Tech had not been ranked since 2018 or won more than eight games since 2009.

But the Red Raiders and coach Joey McGuire have a chance to really prove the investment was worth it on Thursday when they face No. 5 Oregon (12-1) in the Orange Bowl for a spot in the CFP semifinals.

The Ducks were seventh in the preseason Associated Press poll.

They were 13-0 and the No. 1 seed in last year’s College Football Playoff before losing in the quarterfinals.

They’re a program tabbed by many people as the next new school to win its first national championship, something the Red Raiders are also pursuing.

And while Texas Tech is the higher seed, Oregon is favored by 2.5 points, the only lower-seeded team to be favored in a quarterfinal with the other three higher seeds all favored by 6.5-plus points.

To a certain degree, that makes sense. Oregon has a potential No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft in quarterback Dante Moore (3,046 passing yards, 28 TDs) and has consistently been one of the best recruiting teams in the country under Dan Lanning.

Texas Tech has taken a slightly different approach, developing some high-school recruits while also going in heavily on the transfer portal last offseason with significant money to throw around.

And while that type of roster building hasn’t yet proven to be able to create a national title contender, who says it can’t?

Texas Tech brought in defensive end David Bailey from Stanford and his 13.5 sacks this season are second nationally and the most in Power Four.

Georgia Tech DL transfer Romello Height has 9.5 sacks while UCF DL transfer Lee Hunter has 8.5 tackles for loss.

Mississippi State cornerback transfer Brice Pollard is tied for the Big 12 lead with five interceptions this season.

Pair them with near-Heisman finalist Jacob Rodriguez — a former walk-on who has developed into a world-beating linebacker at Texas Tech — and you have quite a formidable defense.

Through unusual means, Texas Tech has built one of the best defenses in the country, ranking third in scoring defense (10.9 points per game) and total defense (254.4 yards) and forcing an FBS-leading 31 turnovers.

While some could question the level of competition they played, one can’t question the Red Raiders’ level of consistency. All 12 of their wins were by 20-plus points and their only loss was when they were without starting quarterback Behren Morton, who told reporters this week that he’s finally out of his walking boot and back to 100%.

Texas Tech has already laid out the blueprint in this new era of college football that a school can seriously raise its ceiling if it’s willing to spend enough money.

It has a chance this week to show that schools can even pay their way into being a legitimate national title contender.