Texas Tech entered the playoffs as the Big 12 champions and with all the momentum for a deep run. However, the Red Raiders’ hopes ended just as their CFP run started. A tough loss in a one-sided (0-23) encounter against the Oregon Ducks may define their season for the moment. But Jacob Rodriguez, the leader of their defense, refuses to forget everything the team achieved this year.

Just a few weeks ago, the Texas Tech linebacker was in Heisman conversations. After the game, Rodriguez reflected on the unbreakable bonds forged in Lubbock’s dust and glory.

“It means everything to me [to be a Texas Tech Raider]. I know that you know this changed my life. It has changed my family’s life, and you know, it’s just me, you know, it’s everybody in the locker room,” Jacob Rodriguez stated during the post-game media scrum.

Rodriguez’s voice remained steady despite the stinging defeat, evoking images of a kid from humble roots donning the Texas Tech Red Raiders colors and rising through 12 wins that included a clinical 49-0 demolition of West Virginia, where he scored a 1-yard plunge. Texas Tech won the Big 12 championship on their way to earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

“This double T has touched everybody in a way that you know this year was so special for us. And today didn’t go the way we wanted, but I’ll always be able to look back on this year and be proud of the people around me,” the Raiders linebacker further stated.

The 23-0 loss was a tough one for them to take, which prompted head coach Joey McGuire to issue an apology to the fans. However, the Tech Red Raiders fans can breathe easy because Jacob Rodriguez promised an eternity of support.

“I kind of told them, you know, a couple of minutes ago that they got me for the rest of their life. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m here for them always, and they got me forever,” Rodriguez added.

On the other hand, Rodriguez’s fellow Tech Raider Behren Morton shared a strong critique of the team’s performance in the Orange Bowl playoff quarterfinals.

Jacob Rodriguez’s teammate gets real about the loss to Oregon

Behren Morton, despite the abysmal loss, did not hold back while sharing his honest opinion on how the game went. He praised the Oregon Ducks’ strong defense, which held Tech to 215 total yards, including his own 137 passing yards on 18-of-32 with two interceptions. However, he was critical of his team’s lack of execution when it came to the basics, while acknowledging personal shortcomings in maintaining composure after early mistakes.

“I thought we saw a really good defense today, but I thought offensively, this is not the standard of football that Texas Tech plays. But like coach said, you know, a lot to be proud of this year. But you know, today is tough,” Morton said. “I think we had a great game plan…we just didn’t execute base plays,” he said after the game.

“We didn’t run our day one stuff that we’d run well, you know, I didn’t do a good job of settling down and, you know, really focusing on the next play. But there’s a lot of things that, you know, we could have done differently. Can’t give them the ball. You know, we’ve got to keep the ball on our side. We’re on offense, you know. But just a lot of bad football on offense.”

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The loss doesn’t mean that Texas Tech won’t be at the same stage next year. With a substantial NIL budget, it’s a guarantee that Joey McGuire will be able to attract top talent to his roster. The main concern is at the QB position, which they may resolve through the portal over the next two weeks. For players like Jacob Rodriguez, the season may serve as a sad ‘what-if,’ but the future is bright for the program.