Texas Tech vs Notre Dame CFP Preview and Betting Pick
I’m gonna be real with you — I’ve been staring at this screen for like forty minutes trying to figure out how to start this thing. My hands are kinda shaky. I’ve rewatched the BYU championship game probably six times since Saturday. This is not normal behavior for a grown man.
But here we are. Texas Tech. Notre Dame. College Football Playoff. Saturday afternoon in South Bend.
I might actually throw up.
Game Info
When: Saturday, December 21st, 4:00 PM ET
Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
TV: ABC (ESPN game page)
Line: Notre Dame -7 (via ESPN Chalk)
Over/Under: 52.5
Why Tech’s Gonna Win This Thing
Look, I know Notre Dame is favored. I know they’re at home. I know they got more five-stars than we got total scholarships or whatever. I don’t care.
This Texas Tech team is different. You could see it in the BYU game — they weren’t nervous, they weren’t tight, they just went out and kicked ass for three hours. That kinda confidence don’t just disappear.
Jacob Rodriguez is playing out of his damn mind right now. Dude had 11 tackles and 2 sacks against BYU. ELEVEN tackles from a linebacker. In a game we won by 27. According to Sports Reference, that’s one of the best defensive performances in any conference championship this year.
And Behren Morton… man, I dunno what clicked for him but something clicked. The third-down conversions against BYU were stupid — 9 of 14. He wasn’t forcing nothing. Just taking what the defense gave him and executing.
If Morton plays like that again? We can win in South Bend. I really believe that.
Why I’m Still Kinda Terrified
Because it’s freaking Notre Dame. At home. In December. With like a hundred years of history staring down at us from those stupid golden helmets.
The crowd’s gonna be insane. Riley Leonard don’t make mistakes. The weather’s gonna be cold as hell — and our boys are used to Lubbock, not Indiana in winter.
Mike’s note: The weather thing is legit. Tech hasn’t played in real cold all year. Ball security’s gonna be huge. Watch for fumbles and dropped passes early. If they can settle in, they’ll be fine. If not… could be ugly.
The Matchup That Decides Everything
Tech’s D-line versus Notre Dame’s O-line. That’s it. That’s the whole game right there.
If Rodriguez and the front seven can get pressure — if they can mess up the timing and force Leonard into bad decisions — Tech wins. Notre Dame’s offense is all about rhythm. Short passes, efficient runs, staying on schedule. You break that rhythm and they struggle.
But if Notre Dame’s line holds up? If Leonard gets time? If they can run the ball and control the clock?
Then we’re in trouble. Not gonna lie about that.
Our Picks
Jake’s Pick: Texas Tech 28, Notre Dame 24. I’m taking Tech +7 and sprinkling something on the moneyline because I ain’t betting against my boys in the biggest game of my life. I said what I said.
Mike’s take: Notre Dame 24, Texas Tech 21. Tech covers but doesn’t win outright. The 7 is too many points for a team that just won a conference championship. Take Tech +7, stay away from the moneyline unless you wanna donate money to Vegas.
Whatever happens Saturday, I’m proud of this team. They earned this. Now let’s go shock the world.
Wreck ‘Em forever.
— Jake
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