If you’re looking for the most dominant defense in college football during the 2025 season, look no further than Lubbock. Texas Tech didn’t just lead the Big 12 - they led the entire FBS in stop rate, a stat that cuts through the noise and tells you which defenses are getting the job done when it matters most.
What is Stop Rate, and Why Does It Matter?
Think of stop rate as the defensive equivalent of a batting average - it’s a clean, no-nonsense look at how often a defense ends drives with a win: a punt, a turnover, or a turnover on downs. In other words, it’s about how often you slam the door shut.
And no one slammed that door harder than the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech: A Defensive Juggernaut
Against 13 FBS opponents in 2025, Texas Tech posted an eye-popping 83.5% stop rate. That means more than eight out of every ten drives ended with the opposing offense walking off the field empty-handed.
Even more impressive? They gave up just 0.92 points per drive - the only defense in the country to stay under the 1-point mark.
This wasn’t just a fluke stat padded against weaker competition. Texas Tech also led the Big 12 in fewest yards allowed per game (258.3) and ranked fifth nationally in that category. That’s dominance from start to finish, week in and week out.
Utah, Arizona, and the Big 12’s Defensive Landscape
While Texas Tech stole the headlines, Utah quietly put together a solid season on the defensive side of the ball. The Utes ranked 14th in the nation with a 71.3% stop rate and allowed 1.74 points per drive, making them the next-best defense in the Big 12.
Arizona wasn’t far behind, finishing 24th with a 69.1% stop rate, while Iowa State (35th), Arizona State (43rd), and both BYU and Houston (tied for 47th) rounded out the conference’s upper-middle tier.
But the Big 12 as a whole had its ups and downs. Across its 16 teams, the conference averaged 364.5 yards allowed per game, placing it fourth among the Power 4 conferences. While several schools landed in the top 60 nationally in stop rate, there was a significant drop-off toward the bottom.
The Struggles at the Bottom
Not every Big 12 team had reason to celebrate. Baylor and Oklahoma State brought up the rear, ranking 121st and 122nd nationally in stop rate, respectively. Both teams allowed nearly 3 points per drive - a tough number to overcome in today’s high-scoring game.
West Virginia, Colorado, and Cincinnati also found themselves in the triple-digit rankings, each allowing over 2.5 points per drive. Simply put, these defenses were on the field a lot and didn’t get off it often enough.
Big 12 Stop Rate Rankings (2025)
| Rank (FBS) | School | Stop Rate | Points/Drive |
|---|
| 1st | Texas Tech | 83.5% | 0.92 | | 14th | Utah | 71.3% | 1.74 |
| 24th | Arizona | 69.1% | 1.73 | | 35th | Iowa State | 66.1% | 1.93 |
| 43rd | Arizona State | 65.0% | 2.09 | | T-47th | BYU | 64.7% | 1.93 |
| T-47th | Houston | 64.7% | 1.99 | | 58th | TCU | 63.4% | 2.07 |
| 66th | Kansas State | 62.4% | 2.15 | | 72nd | UCF | 60.3% | 2.17 |
| 101st | Kansas | 56.5% | 2.59 | | 104th | West Virginia | 55.6% | 2.67 |
| 107th | Colorado | 55.3% | 2.57 | | 108th | Cincinnati | 55.0% | 2.66 |
| 121st | Baylor | 51.6% | 2.94 | | 122nd | Oklahoma State | 51.2% | 2.91 |
What This Tells Us
Texas Tech didn’t just have a good season on defense - they had a historic one. In a conference known more for offensive fireworks than defensive grit, the Red Raiders flipped the script in 2025. They didn’t just slow opponents down - they shut them down.
For the rest of the Big 12, the numbers show a wide gap between the contenders and the teams still searching for answers. But one thing’s clear: if you’re building a defense in today’s game, stop rate is a stat worth watching - and Texas Tech just set the bar.