BYU Cougars Fall 34-7 to Texas Tech in Big 12 Title Game — 3 Key Takeaways
The 2025 Big 12 Football Championship proved a harsh finish for BYU Cougars — a 34-7 defeat at the hands of Texas Tech Red Raiders not only cost them the conference crown but likely ended any hope of a berth in the College Football Playoff this season. Deseret News+2Big 12 Sports+2
📌 3 Takeaways from the Loss
- Strong start, quick collapse
BYU showed early promise — the Cougars marched 90 yards in 14 plays to put running back LJ Martin into the end zone on the opening drive. That score would stand as BYU’s only one of the game. Thereafter, Texas Tech rolled out 34 unanswered points. BYU never reentered the red zone. Deseret News+2BYU Athletics+2 - Offensive breakdown — injuries, protection, and execution
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier appeared to suffer an ankle injury on that first drive, and afterward the offense unraveled. The passing game was almost entirely short passes, with deep balls nearly non-existent. The running game sputtered, and the offensive line was consistently overpowered by Texas Tech’s front. The result: only 200 total yards for BYU — a season low. Deseret News+2Deseret News+2 - Texas Tech’s defensive dominance sealed BYU’s fate
The Red Raiders overwhelmed BYU’s offense — holding the Cougars to just 60 rushing yards at 2.1 yards per carry, sacking Bachmeier, forcing multiple turnovers (including two interceptions by one defender), and generally dictating the line of scrimmage. The defensive pressure and field-position flips left BYU with no room to recover. Deseret News+2Big 12 Sports+2
The outcome leaves BYU with an 11-2 season and a strong regular-season record, but also with a bitter end. The Cougars showed flashes — particularly in that opening drive — but injuries, protection issues, and a dominant opponent exposed their vulnerabilities in the biggest game of the year.
If you like, I can also pull up full team & player stats from the game (yards, turnovers, sacks, etc.) in an easy-to-copy table.
