No. 8 Texas Tech experienced its first defeat of the season in Week 8, becoming the second unbeaten team to fall.
On the heels of James Madison’s unbeaten run concluding just two days prior, Tech faced a 37-24 loss against Cincinnati. This marks the Red Raiders’ initial regular-season defeat in over a year; their last regular-season loss was on October 18, 2025, at Arizona State.
Cincinnati established an early lead and managed to shift the game’s momentum toward the end of the first half. After the Bearcats surged to a 17-6 advantage with 1:37 remaining in the half, Texas Tech’s quarterback Will Hammond was intercepted by MJ Cannon just 37 seconds before halftime.
Seemingly satisfied with an 11-point cushion as they approached halftime, the Bearcats were jolted when Cole Tabb made a spectacular 51-yard run on Cincinnati’s first play, quickly placing them in field goal territory. Just four plays later, JC French IV connected with tight end Lyviel Waters for his third touchdown of the half with just four seconds left in the second quarter.
A further notable run by Tabb sealed the victory in the latter half. After Texas Tech narrowed Cincinnati’s lead to 13 with a field goal, Tabb responded with a stunning 58-yard touchdown run.
This victory marks Cincinnati’s first win against a top 10 team in the AP Top 25 since their 2021 squad, which made it to the College Football Playoff and triumphed over then-No. 9 Notre Dame, advancing to 4-0.
The win also drew ire from Cody Campbell, the chairman of the Texas Tech Board of Regents and advocate for the Protect College Sports Act, who expressed his frustrations on social media.
This isn’t the same Texas Tech
The Week 8 matchup quickly became one of the most pivotal games in the Big 12 after quarterback Brendan Sorsby transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech following an impressive season in 2025. However, Sorsby became a less prominent figure during Saturday’s game following details regarding his sports betting activities and his abrupt exit from the Red Raiders prior to the football season commencing.
Tech made a concerted effort to bring Sorsby on board after their offensive struggles during the College Football Playoff with former quarterback Behren Morton. Hammond, who started in that playoff matchup against Arizona State, suffered a torn ACL while substituting for an injured Morton during the previous season, which ended with the Red Raiders securing the Big 12 title.
Nonetheless, there is also a reasonable argument that even an improved quarterback wouldn’t have been able to mask the shortcomings seen on this Texas Tech roster. While Campbell may argue that there are no valid reasons for a loss like the one against the Bearcats, this defeat was not entirely unexpected.
The previous year’s Red Raiders squad was bolstered by a defense that permitted fewer than 12 points per game, with linebacker Jacob Rodriguez creating turnovers at an impressive rate and finishing fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Edge rusher David Bailey’s 14.5 sacks earned him the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, while Romello Height contributed 10 sacks and is currently in the NFL as well.
While Texas Tech kicked off the 2026 season with a 6-0 record and was generating turnovers at a rate akin to that of 2025, it was evident that this year’s team wasn’t on par with the previous year’s performance. Opponents averaged a mere 3.9 yards per play against Tech in 2025; through the first seven weeks of 2026, that average increased to 5.1.
Even had the Red Raiders secured a victory on Saturday, they would still be facing formidable competition for supremacy in the Big 12. No. 2 BYU appears stronger than last season, and No. 10 Utah came into Week 8 maintaining an unbeaten record. Though Tech does not encounter either team from Utah during the regular season, with their meeting slated for November, it gives no cause to believe that the Red Raiders are favored to repeat their previous success.
