Texas Tech is on the verge of its first 10-win season in 17 years and is chasing a high seed in the College Football Playoff as it prepares for Saturday's Big 12 game against UCF in Lubbock.

The No. 6 Red Raiders (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) are in the driver's seat in the Big 12 race after a 29-7 home victory over then-No. 7 BYU last weekend.

Texas Tech's final two regular-season games are against teams with a combined 3-10 mark in Big 12 play: the Knights (4-5, 1-5) and West Virginia (4-6, 2-5).

The Red Raiders also arguably feature the top defensive player in the nation in linebacker Jacob Rodriguez but that label needs some adjusting in the eyes of Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire.

He's thinking Rodriguez should be a Heisman Trophy finalist.

"I'm 54 years old, I've grown up a football fanatic,

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