Texas Tech came into the Orange Bowl as the 4-seed. They left with a bagel on the scoreboard.

Oregon's defense put on an absolute clinic Thursday night, smothering the Red Raiders in a 23-0 shutout that marked the first Orange Bowl goose egg since Miami blanked Nebraska 22-0 back in 1992.

The Quick Hit

• What happened: Oregon shuts out Texas Tech 23-0 in CFP quarterfinal
• The damage: Ducks covered as 6.5-point favorites by 16.5
• Why you should care: First Orange Bowl shutout in 34 years, bye teams now 0-6
• The move: Oregon's defense is legit—they held a top-4 seed to nine first downs

Brandon Finney Jr. Is a Problem

The freshman defensive back was everywhere. Three takeaways—two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Behren Morton had no answer for Oregon's secondary, finishing 18-of-32 for 137 yards with two picks and a strip sack.

Oregon's front got to Morton four times. The Red Raiders managed nine first downs total. In the first quarter alone, Texas Tech had -2 yards of total offense while the Ducks controlled the clock 12:05 to 2:55.

This was suffocation football at its finest.

The Bye Curse Strikes Again

Before Thursday, teams with first-round byes in the expanded CFP format were 0-5. Texas Tech made it 0-6.

The 4-seed Red Raiders came in with rust you could see from space. Their offense never got comfortable. Morton was under pressure every time he dropped back. The passing game was non-existent, and the running game couldn't establish anything.

Compare that to Oregon, who played Tennessee in the first round and worked out the playoff jitters. The Ducks came into this game sharp, focused, and hungry. Texas Tech looked like they were still in bowl game prep mode while Oregon was in championship form.

This Was Historic

Texas Tech is just the third team to be shut out in a CFP game, joining Michigan State (2015) and Ohio State (2016). Neither of those teams were a 4-seed.

For Oregon, it was their first shutout of an AP-ranked opponent since 2012. In 113 all-time games against top-10 teams, this was the first time the Ducks pitched a goose egg.

The Red Raiders hadn't been shut out since November 2021. Their last appearance in Miami ended with zero points and zero answers.

What This Means for the Semis

Oregon advances to face Indiana in the Peach Bowl on January 9. It's a rematch—the Hoosiers beat the Ducks 30-20 at Autzen Stadium during the regular season.

The narrative is simple: Can Oregon's defense do to Indiana what they just did to Texas Tech? Fernando Mendoza is a Heisman winner, not Behren Morton. But if the Ducks can generate this kind of pressure against anyone, they've got a shot.

The line has Oregon as 3.5-point dogs. Given what we just watched, that feels generous to Indiana. Oregon's defense might be the best remaining in this tournament.

The Bad Beat Report

If you had Texas Tech to cover 6.5, you knew it was over by halftime. But some absolute masochist took the over at 46.5. Those bettors watched the first half end 10-0 and prayed for a miracle. They got 23 combined points. That's 23.5 points short of the over. Pain doesn't begin to describe it.

The Bottom Line

Oregon proved their defense can dominate anyone. Texas Tech became another cautionary tale about the first-round bye. And the CFP semifinals just got a lot more interesting. The Ducks might have lost to Indiana once this year, but they're riding into Atlanta with the kind of defensive performance that wins championships. If you're betting against them, you better have a good reason—because after Thursday night, that defense is terrifying.