Texas Tech’s Roster Investment Looks Worth Every Penny in Rout of Utah

Every Saturday throughout the 2025 college football season, FOX Sports college football writers will break down the “Big Noon Saturday” matchup, offering their thoughts to give you a deeper perspective — including what you might have missed.

Texas Tech announced itself as not just a Big 12 title contender, but a legitimate College Football Playoff hopeful.

Joey McGuire’s team earned an impressive top-25 road win on Saturday, defeating previously unbeaten Utah, 34-10. With the victory, the Red Raiders continued their climb toward becoming a top-15 program nationally — powered by a roster reportedly worth $25 million.

However, Texas Tech showed it has real depth, built through a mix of high school recruiting and portal additions. The team has overcome the loss of starting running back Quinten Joyner, a standout transfer from USC, and now, starting quarterback Behren Morton, who exited the game with an injury in the third quarter and did not return.

If there comes a point later this season when the College Football Playoff committee is evaluating Texas Tech for a spot in the field, this game will serve as a reminder that the Red Raiders have the depth needed to compete at the highest level of the sport.

Here are some takeaways from Texas Tech’s impressive win over Utah:

No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. No. 16 Utah Utes Highlights

1. Hammond Time

After taking a hard hit that forcibly snapped his head backward in the third quarter, Texas Tech QB Behren Morton left the game and would not return.

Redshirt freshman Will Hammond entered the game and made an immediate impact, completing 10 of his first 13 pass attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown. He finished the game with 236 total yards and two scores. But more importantly, the offense ran smoothly under his control, as Tech scored 24 points in the fourth quarter alone with Hammond under center.

And he did it all with a reported 19 credential NFL scouts on hand to watch the action unfold in Salt Lake City.

2. Defensive Showcase

Texas Tech and Utah combined for five turnovers in the first half. The Utes, who came into the game averaging 290 yards on the ground, managed just 56 in the first half and gave the ball away four times — three on giveaways and once on fourth down.

Morton, who walked into Rice-Eccles Stadium averaging more than 464 yards passing per game in Mack Leftwich’s scheme, managed just 142 passing yards while throwing two interceptions in his first 20 pass attempts. 

Meanwhile, the Red Raiders’ defense held Utah to its lowest point total this season. The unit forced four takeaways and intercepted Utah QB Devon Dampier twice. Dampier completed just 25 of 38 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns in the game.

This was a Utah offense that was averaging 517 yards per game before Tech held them to just 263 total yards and only 101 on the ground.

Texas Tech’s defense has not allowed more than 14 points in a game this season under first-year coordinator Shiel Wood.

3. Stars Emerging

Hammond and J’Koby Williams both took advantage of the stage “Big Noon Kickoff” provided. Williams, a sophomore running back for the Red Raiders, took a drag route 73 yards downfield to set up the only touchdown in the first half. He finished the game with a combined 132 yards of total offense.

Utah wide receiver and defensive back Jackson Bennee also had a big game. His first-half interception took away a potential touchdown from the Red Raiders. He has recorded at least one interception in each of Utah’s last three games.

Beene is one of just five players in FBS who have played at least 14 snaps on offense and 60 snaps on defense.

4. Two-Way Standouts

While Utah didn’t come away with a victory on Saturday, it isn’t all negative for the Utes. They remain the only program in the country with three players who have logged over 140 combined snaps on both offense and defense through the first quarter of the season — and no one has played more two-way snaps than Lander Barton. 

Through four games, the senior now has 15 tackles and a fumble recovery on defense, while adding four catches for 22 yards and a touchdown on offense.

½. Drought Over

How about this for a stat: Texas Tech’s victory over Utah on Saturday marked the program’s first win in a ranked matchup since 2008!

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.

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