Oregon vs Texas Tech CFB Playoff Quarterfinal Orange Bowl Picks

The opening round of the College Football Playoff has come and gone, and there are now just eight teams remaining in the pursuit of a National Championship. Earlier this month, the fifth-seeded Oregon Ducks made quick work of James Madison to advance to this round, while the fourth-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders had a bye in the opening round following a 12-1 season and an easy victory in the Big 12 title game. Which of these teams will come out on top in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day? The kickoff is set for 12:00 pm ET this Thursday, with the game broadcast live on ESPN. 

With both teams looking to make a statement on the sport’s biggest stage, let’s dive into our expert’s Oregon vs Texas Tech predictions and best bets for this game.

Oregon vs Texas Tech CFB Playoff Quarterfinal Orange Bowl Predictions

• PICK #1: Oregon Ducks ML (-130) Click Here to Bet
• PICK #2: Under 52.5 Total Points (-110) Click Here to Bet
• PICK #3: Malik Benson over 33.5 receiving yards (-110) Click Here to Bet

PICK #1: Oregon ML (-130) Click Here to Bet

This has the feeling of a game that should come down to the wire, but Oregon has a few edges that it should be able to exploit in this matchup. The Ducks have the better quarterback in the game, and Dante Moore should also be getting back two of his top three wide receivers in Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. for this matchup. This gives the Ducks a formidable trio of targets on the outside, to go along with Kenyon Sadiq at the tight end spot. Furthermore, the only time Texas Tech’s defense has faced a passing attack with a similar level of talent to the Ducks, the Red Raiders lost to Arizona State and former Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham.  

Texas Tech’s primary issue in this game could be its offense. While the Red Raiders certainly have a good offense, there have been clear limitations on the ground and inside the red zone this season. After all, Texas Tech is just 28th in points per drive on offense, and in a game that is projected to be close throughout, one or two failed red zone trips could decide the outcome. With that in mind, our expert is going to side with Oregon to knock off the Red Raiders and advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals. 

PICK #2: Under 52.5 (-110) Click Here to Bet

Scoring should be tougher than most would expect in this matchup, as both teams are anchored by their stout defenses. Both teams rank inside the top 15 in success rate and points per drive allowed on defense, and it’s also worth mentioning that each defense has been able to step up in their biggest games this season to this point. 

It’s hard for any offense to move the ball on this elite Texas Tech defense, as the Red Raiders are first in the nation in opponent EPA per play. On the other side, many are going to point to Oregon’s lackluster performance in the fourth quarter against James Madison as a sign of what a better offense could do to the Ducks defense, but it’s important to remember that most of the players on the field in that fourth quarter were second and third-stringers in a game that was already a blowout. 

PICK #3: Malik Benson Over 33.5 Receiving Yards (-110) Click Here to Bet

For our final pick in this college football playoff matchup, let’s get away from a side or total and target WR Malik Benson to go over his receiving yards prop. For starters, this is a line that he has cleared in nine games this season, and he should see plenty of action in the passing game, particularly if Oregon gets in a negative game state against a stout Texas Tech defensive front.

Benson has been a major contributor in the passing game and is arguably the most trusty weapon for Dante Moore at the moment, which certainly points us in the direction of the Over. The former Florida State wideout has racked up 50 or more receiving yards in each of the last four games, so let’s trust Benson to deliver another strong performance in the biggest game of the season.