It wasn’t pretty, but Oregon advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinal after defeating Texas Tech, 23–0.
Both offenses ranked in the top 10 in scoring throughout the season. The Ducks coming off a 51-point outing against James Madison in the first round of the CFP, but Thursday’s game quickly became a clash of two top defenses. Both units showed up to play, but Oregon’s defense made big plays when they were needed and pitched its first shutout of the season.
There were just six total points in the first half, all for the Ducks, as execution in the red zone was a problem for both teams. In the end, the game was decided by which team made fewer mistakes. Oregon dominated the turnover battle, 4–1, and forced three turnovers on downs against the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton had a nightmare performance against the Ducks, throwing a pair of picks and fumbling the ball once. Breakout freshman cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. came away with two interceptions and a fumble recovery, as Oregon held Morton to just 137 passing yards on 32 attempts.
Oregon’s Brandon Finney Jr today.
— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) January 1, 2026
2 INTs, fumble recovery, & 6 tackles in the biggest game of his career.
Player of the game as a TRUE FRESHMAN. Scary good player that still has two seasons to go in college after this CFP run.
pic.twitter.com/FGY2wuqWfi
It wasn’t Dante Moore’s best game, either. He didn’t throw a touchdown pass and had a bad interception during the second half, but he managed the game well enough to keep the Ducks ahead.
Next up for Oregon is a Peach Bowl showdown against the winner of the Rose Bowl between No. 1 Indiana and No. 9 Alabama. It’s the first time since 2014, and the first time in Dan Lanning’s tenure as the program’s coach, that the Ducks have reached the CFP semifinal. The Hoosiers were the only team to defeat Oregon this year, so a revenge game could be on the cards next week, should Fernando Mendoza & Co. get the job done against the Crimson Tide.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Oregon Shuts Out Texas Tech to Clinch First CFP Semifinal Berth Since 2014.
