Texas Tech Red Raiders at West Virginia Mountaineers

Morton throws for 3 TDs, LB Rodriguez scores on offense again and Texas Tech whips WVU 49-0

Behren Morton threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns, linebacker Jacob Rodriguez scored his second offensive TD in as many games, and No. 7 Texas Tech beat West Virginia 49-0 on Saturday in the Red Raiders’ final tuneup before the Big 12 championship game.

Texas Tech (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No. 5 CFP) had already clinched a spot in the title game against No. 11 BYU in Arlington, Texas, when Arizona State lost to Arizona on Friday night. But the Red Raiders had plenty of motivation, needing a win over the Mountaineers to continue their trajectory toward at least hosting a first-round home game in the College Football Playoff.

“I really am proud of that locker room and how they responded knowing that they were in, and came out on fire to get to this 11th win,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said.

Texas Tech was dominant from the start, scoring touchdowns on four of their first five drives.

Unlike two weeks ago when he scored on a short run against UCF, Rodriguez didn’t strike a Heisman pose after taking a direct snap and rushing for a 1-yard TD on Texas Tech’s first offensive series. His other TD this season came on a 69-yard fumble return.

Just before halftime, Rodriguez, who began his college career as a quarterback at Virginia, lined up in the wildcat again from the West Virginia 1. He threw a pass intended for Terrance Carter that the Mountaineers' Ben Cutter intercepted in the back of the end zone.

The do-it-all Rodriguez's miscue prompted McGuire to joke at halftime, telling his team, “Jacob Rodriguez IS human.”

Morton said he felt good and showed no mobility problems while playing through a leg injury that prompted him to wear a boot during the team’s bye week.

Morton threw TD passes of 19 and 4 yards to Caleb Douglas and 4 yards to Cameron Dickey. Morton, who was replaced by Mitch Griffis early in the third quarter, completed 25 of 32 passes. Douglas had five catches for 127 yards.

“This team is really special," Morton said. “I think on every single side of the ball, I feel like that’s my brothers I’m playing with,” Morton said.

Freshman Scotty Fox Jr., the fourth starting quarterback for West Virginia (4-8, 2-7) this season due to injuries, was replaced in the third quarter by Max Brown. Brown's first completion as a Mountaineer was followed by a 67-yard interception return by Texas Tech's Amier Boyd. That set up the first of Micah Hudson's two TD catches from Lloyd Jones III.

Big offense All of the Red Raiders’ wins this season have come by at least 20 points. Texas Tech has scored at least 42 points in eight games.

Moment of silence A moment of silence was held before the game for two West Virginia National Guard members who were shot in Washington, D.C. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died after the Wednesday shooting. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.

Bailey leaves game Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey, the national sacks leader, did not play in the second half.

“We held him out. He's banged up,” McGuire said. However, "we feel like everybody that played in the game today will play in the game on Saturday” against BYU.

The takeaway Texas Tech: The Red Raiders advance to the championship game for the first time in school history. In their 30th season in the league, they’ve never won a Big 12 title.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers didn’t get a first down until their sixth offensive series midway through the second quarter and were held to 180 total yards, including 37 on the ground.

“They've got a loaded team,” West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said. “It's disappointing that we didn't get a few more things going in the run game.”

Up next Texas Tech will face BYU next Saturday in a rematch of a game won by the Red Raiders 29-7 in Lubbock, Texas, on Nov. 8

West Virginia won't be going to a bowl game and opens the 2026 season at home against Coastal Carolina.