Texas Tech football remains No. 13 in weekly AP Poll - KCBD

The Red Raiders picked up ground in the Coaches Poll, climbing one spot to No. 12. Tech isn't the only Big 12 team turning heads nationally. BYU sits at No. 11, Utah landed at No. 17, and Houston cracked the rankings at No. 22, giving the conference four teams in the AP Top 25.

Texas grabbed the new No. 1 spot on both polls after its comeback win over Ohio State in Austin. The top of the rankings shuffled hard elsewhere too. Oklahoma State's win over Oregon and Michigan's win over Oklahoma knocked both the Ducks and Sooners out of the top 15 entirely.

For Tech fans watching the bigger picture, this matters beyond bragging rights. The first College Football Playoff rankings drop Tuesday, and where Tech sits now sets the tone for how selection committee members will view the Red Raiders heading into that first real measuring stick. A win over Oregon State on the road holds up fine against a resume that already includes solid Big 12 play.

That kind of depth from one conference is rare this late in the season, and Tech sits right in the middle of it, still looking up at Texas.