BYU basketball's schedule has been called into question as of late, with just one win over a current top 25 team (Clemson), and recent struggles against the likes of Utah and TCU. Despite being stuffed with talent, Kevin Young's Cougars haven't managed to post a statement win to this point in the season, and that's knocked them down to 11th in the AP Poll, despite having only lost to UConn, the third-ranked team in the nation.
So I suppose you could say BYU's upcoming meeting with 15th-ranked Texas Tech couldn't be more timely. What better time to make a statement to the nation that the trio of AJ Dybantsa, Richie Saunders, and Rob Wright are capable of winning a Q1 road game?
The Red Raiders stand in wait as the Cougars approach the Lone Star State for their first Q1 road game of the season (that is, if you don't count a Boston-set battle with Connecticut as a 'road' game). Tech has long been a force in the college basketball sphere, and won't go down quietly if BYU hopes to jostle the Red Raiders' unblemished home record.
The only problem is that the Red Raiders are legit. Though BYU is the highest NET-ranked squad to approach United Supermarkets Arena, Tech has only looked mortal once in front of their home crowd in a "what happened here?" type of street fight with the visiting Wyoming Cowboys, a game Tech won by just four points.
In every other home game this year, however, the JT Toppin-led Red Raiders have won by double-digits.
A team that took Illinois and Houston down to the wire. A team that beat Duke on a neutral floor. A team that has navigated the labrynth of Big 12 Conference basketball for far longer than BYU. Texas Tech is a worthy challenger for a Cougar side with National Championship aspirations.
This Saturday, the two will face off with tremendous amounts at stake.
How to watch 11 BYU vs 15 Texas Tech
Date: Saturday, Jan 17, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM MT
Location: United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, TX
Channel: ESPN