The No. 4-ranked Texas Tech football team is on a huge rise right now, and it’s mainly because of one person, Cody Campbell. The Red Raiders just won their first Big 12 championship since 1955 after beating BYU 34-7. Campbell, who runs the El Matador NIL collective, explained how everything came together.

“Everything started changing in the summer of 2021. It became a place where there were no rules,” Cody Campbell said. “You could kind of do whatever you wanted to do. And so what we identified was that there was this gap period, and for a period of time, we were going to be able to pay NIL with basically no rules.”

Once the money plan was set, they met with Coach McGuire to find out how much it would take to get the players they needed. They also hired an analytics expert and combined data with film study to target the right recruits. Then, when the transfer portal opened, they went all in.

The biggest move, the one that really changed their fortunes came in for the 2025 season. This is when teams can pick up players from other schools, like free agents in the pros. Campbell and a group of donors decided to go all-in. The original plan was to spend a few million dollars, but they ended up spending approximately $12 million, specifically on bringing in 21 transfers for this season alone.

They went out and brought players like Romello Heights, David Bailey, Felix Ojo, Lee Hunter, Howard Sampson, and Micah Hudson. This spending spree pushed their total roster valuation to over $28 million, making them one of the nation’s biggest spenders, right behind powerhouses like Texas. Campbell’s moves have gotten him appreciation from Kansas City Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes.

The Red Raiders started earning dividends within the first few weeks of the 2025 campaign. Their defense, which used to be a weak point, became a force to be reckoned with. Their defense, which used to be a weakness, became a strength, giving up just over 17 points per game and ranking in the top 15 nationwide. The offense was also putting up an average of 35 points per game.

If you think they’ll run out of money or are this is just a one-season wonder, you’d be way off. Cody Campbell doubled down and said they’re going to use this oil-money recruiting strategy again: “We were able to communicate exactly what the players are getting and exactly when they’re going to get it, to all their families and to them. We were able to actually get commitments from every one of our top prospects at each position.”

“Now, it also meant we were going to spend a lot more money than I originally anticipated, but we’re there. We’re here for it. And again, I thought it was a generational opportunity for us.”

Just like that, the Red Raiders finished their 2025 campaign with a 12-1 record and, yes, the Big 12 championship.

What are the odds for Texas Tech for their natty run?

With a 12-1 record, the Red Raiders are projected to be a top seed. This high seeding is a major advantage because it grants them a coveted first-round bye. The official CFP bracket is being announced today, but we know they won’t be playing in the opening weekend games; instead, they are heading straight to the quarterfinals to play on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.

Texas Tech will face the winner of one of the earlier first-round playoff games. We won’t know exactly which team until the CFP committee releases the final 12-team bracket later this evening. The location will be one of the major New Year’s Six bowl sites, such as the Cotton Bowl or Orange Bowl.

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When it comes to their natty, the odds and sportsbooks have them as a strong contender. Their current odds are sitting around +1100, which means they are considered a legitimate threat, though not the overall favorite. This translates to roughly a 9% chance of going all the way. According to many analysts and eye tests, there’s no doubt that they would hang around any top team in the country.