Week 4 of college football had its fair share of one sided beatdowns. But one game lit up the Big 12. No. 17 Texas Tech stormed into Rice-Eccles Stadium to face No. 16 Utah. Joey McGuire’s Red Raiders came in flexing a $35 million, oil-money-backed roster and left the Utes shell-shocked, 34-10. After this win, Texas Tech became one of the most feared program in the Big 12. Off the field, one of their biggest recruits, Felix Ojo, is working as a double agent while flexing Tech’s NIL ambitions.

Ojo is a five-star offensive tackle, ranked No. 20 in the 2026 ESPN 300. But even before he has taken the field, Ojo has been pulling double duty, acting as a recruitment catalyst. On September 21, when 5-star defensive lineman Jalen Brewster, the No. 1 DL in 2027, teased his upcoming commitment, Ojo hopped on IG and encouraged Brewster to ride with Texas Tech. Ojo’s comment, “Yk what we talked about twin,” made it appear as if the two had already mapped out the future together.

Ojo’s commitment to Texas Tech back in July made headlines. He signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $5.1 million deal, according to his agent Derrick Shelby. That’s a lot of money for a high schooler who hasn’t even taken a single college snap yet. All thanks to the Red Raiders’ oil-backed NIL system. Texas Tech’s 2025 roster boasts the nation’s top transfer class, including names like Stanford edge rusher David Bailey, All-MAC DT Skyler Gill-Howard, and Georgia Tech linebacker Romello Height. Fast forward to Week 4, and it’s clear these investments are paying off: the Red Raiders are 4-0.

Playing Texas Tech is like playing Monopoly with oil barons controlling the bank. Cody Campbell and Terry Fuller turned NIL into a cash-printing machine, pumping millions into the Matador Club. Every scholarship player gets $25K a year guaranteed. The total 2025 commitments hit around $55 million, on top of a $240 million facilities overhaul.

Their recruiting game is off the charts. Steve Wiltfong tweeted, “Recruits buzzing about Texas Tech following dominant win at Utah as Red Raiders aim to build on Top 25 2026 class and No. 1 ranked 2027 class.” Felix Ojo chimed in, adding, “If you compare this current team to what’s coming in the future this is gonna be the least talented roster Tech has had and that’s scary.” All this points to one thing, Texas Tech is planning to build a football dynasty like Alabama.

Texas Tech Are Moving Up in AP Ladder

In the win over Utah, the Red Raider defense completely took over. They held a team averaging around 500 yards per game to just 263 total yards and forced four turnovers. Offensively, the Red Raiders found ways to respond even when their starting QB went down.

QB Behren Morton struggled early with two picks and exited with an injury, but the freshman Will Hammond stepped in and threw for 169 yards, two touchdowns, and added 61 rushing yards. This is the result of all those investments hitting the scoreboard.

Less than 24 hours after the Utah win, Texas Tech earned its highest Coaches Poll ranking in 12 years, moving up from 16th to 14th. This 4-0 start is the first perfect record in over a decade. In the AP Top 25, they reached No. 12, the program’s highest since 10th back in 2013. Iowa State remains the only Big 12 team ahead of them.