In the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff, the edges are smaller and the margins are thin. Texas Tech is a good football team, talented in all phases, explosive and physical. The Ducks have to be sharp to win in Miami.
They have to take advantage of their matchup advantages. They have to be mentally prepared for a four-quarter fight and an opponent that can punch back. More than anything, they have to adjust to a pressure-filled atmosphere with momentum changes and big stakes.
As a team that's risen to challenges and grown all year, they've been playoff-tested. All year Dan Lanning has prepared them for this moment, to play their best football of the year on New Year's Day in Miami.
There are several elements of the game, small by themselves, that could tilt it in Oregon's favor, though it promises to be a game to remember.
Turf versus grass
Hard Rock Stadium, the site of the Orange Bowl in Miami, is a grass field. Each of these teams has played only one game this season on natural grass. On September 27 the Ducks won at Penn State in Beaver Stadium, 30-24 in double overtime.
Texas Tech's only loss of the year came at Arizona State on October 18 with starting quarterback Behren Morton sitting out with a knee injury, 26-22 in Sun Devil Stadium, a grass surface.
Chunk passing plays, and a new level of test for the Red Raider defense
Oregon's protection has to hold up against a defense that gets after the quarterback.
Former Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham had a great plan for ASU's upset win in Tempe. The Sun Devils stayed on schedule. They didn't commit any turnovers.
Patient and disciplined, quarterback Sam Leavitt hit several chunk passing plays against the TTU secondary, while running back Raleek Brown had a solid if unspectacular day running the football, 19 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. He broke runs of 22 and 17 yards, held in check the rest of the game.
But it was the big passing plays that tilted it in ASU's favor:
Texas Tech's defense has a chink in its armor, and Dillingham exploited it. 😈 #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/aKXnURuE0o
— HypeDuck_🦆🔥 (@HypeDuck_) December 23, 2025
3:48 1st quarter Sam Leavitt pass complete to Jaren Hamilton for 49 yds to the TTU 17 for a 1ST down (led to a field goal)
0:00 1st Sam Leavitt pass complete to Jordyn Tyson for 19 yds to the TTU 28 for a 1ST down (led to a field goal)
3:09 - 2nd Sam Leavitt pass complete to Jaren Hamilton for 45 yds to the TTU 4 for a 1ST down (led to a field goal)
4:43 - 3rd Sam Leavitt pass complete to Chamon Metayer for 23 yds to the TTU 30 for a 1ST down (led to a field goal)
4th quarter 4th and 2 45 0:55 - 4th Sam Leavitt pass complete to Jordyn Tyson for 33 yds to the TTU 22 for a 1ST down (led to the winning touchdown)
Tech's defense swarmed under the Big 12 this year, but this aggressive unit didn't face a single passing attack in the Top 35 of the FBS. In the age of supersized conferences, they avoided Baylor, TCU and Cincinnati, the top passing teams in their league. In nonconference play they faced Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kent State and Oregon State.
If Dante Moore stays composed and has time to throw, he can exploit this secondary, or at least test it beyond what they've seen this season. His demeanor and even-keel cool should help him, provided he steers clear of throwing off his back foot under pressure.
The Sun Devils settled for four field goals in a close game against TTU's backup quarterback Will Hammond. The Ducks have the explosiveness to turn some of those chunk passing opportunities into touchdowns. But the Law Firm has to hold up and give Moore time to set and throw.