The Oregon Ducks are no strangers to the national spotlight. Under head coach Dan Lanning, the Ducks have continued to build on a foundation that’s been decades in the making - one rooted in innovation, elite recruiting, and a commitment to winning that predates the NIL era by a long shot.
Even before name, image, and likeness deals reshaped the college football landscape, Oregon was ahead of the curve. The program’s longstanding relationship with Nike co-founder Phil Knight gave the Ducks a unique edge - from state-of-the-art facilities to some of the flashiest uniforms in the country. That blend of style and substance made Eugene a destination for top-tier talent, and it’s no surprise to see Oregon back in the College Football Playoff mix, this time preparing for a high-stakes Orange Bowl quarterfinal against Texas Tech.
Now, enter the Red Raiders - a program on the rise and embracing its own version of the Oregon blueprint. Texas Tech may not have the same history of national contention as the Ducks, but under head coach Joey McGuire, they’re making up ground fast. With a surge of financial support and a clear vision for the future, Tech is starting to look like a program that belongs in these conversations.
“They’ve got a great booster in Phil Knight that really said, ‘We’re going to go win at the highest level and there’s no excuse when it comes to finance,’” McGuire said Monday. “You turn around and I think that we’re showing that we’re doing that. I think we’re really comparable.”
That comparison isn’t just talk. Texas Tech has seen a major investment in its football program, led by booster Cody Campbell - a former Red Raider offensive lineman turned oil and gas entrepreneur who now chairs the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. Campbell and his group have funneled millions into the program, bolstering both facilities and NIL resources, while also making a major splash in the transfer portal.
That transfer class? Ranked No. 2 nationally. Twenty-one new players joined the Red Raiders through the portal last offseason - a clear sign that Tech isn’t just hoping to compete, it’s actively building a roster that can.
McGuire credits a core group of influential supporters - a group he calls the “Big Five,” including Campbell, John, Mike, Dusty, and Gary - for leading the charge. “Those guys have, along with everybody else in Red Raider Nation, really led the charge,” McGuire said.
It’s not just about money, though. It’s about building a culture that can sustain success - something Oregon has done for years.
That’s the model Texas Tech is chasing. And now, with a chance to go head-to-head with the Ducks in the Orange Bowl, the Red Raiders have an opportunity to show just how far they’ve come - and how close they might be to turning that vision into reality.
“They’ve just done it for a little bit longer,” McGuire said. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”
The Orange Bowl won’t just be a clash of two talented teams - it’s a matchup between two programs at different stages of the same journey. One’s been building for decades.
The other’s just getting started. But both believe they belong among college football’s elite.
Now, it’s time to prove it.