Cincinnati 37-24 Texas Tech (Oct 24, 2026) Final Score

Team pages: Texas Tech · Cincinnati

No. 8 Texas Tech6-124

Cincinnati5-237Final

Sat, Oct 24 · Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio · Crowd 38,088

Cincinnati beat No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 as a 10.5-point underdog.

We had Texas Tech favored. Cincinnati won.

Next: Texas Tech vs Arizona, Sat Oct 31 · 12:00 PM ET · Texas Tech favored by 3.5

Next: Cincinnati vs Utah, Sat Oct 31 · 3:45 PM ET · Cincinnati underdog by 6.5

There's literally contact to the head and with the shoulder and helmet, that's atrocious

A fan of another team

How it swung

The turning point: Morgan 53-yd interception return TD, two-point try fails, cuts it to 24-15 (Q3, 8:49). Cincinnati went from 90% to 72% to win. Fans right then: “That's targeting. You don't need contact leading with the helmet. Even if he hit with the shoulder (which he did), it's the shoulder to…” r/CFB game thread

Before kickoff, our ratings gave Cincinnati an 11% chance, and the closing betting line (Cincinnati was a 10.5-point underdog) put it at 20%.

Pick-six

Texas Tech · Q3 8:49

FinalCincinnati 37-24 Texas TechCincinnati wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.

The two plays that swung it

1Q1 5:01Penalty46-yd punt, unnecessary roughness on TtuCincinnati 39% → 25% (−14)
2Q3 8:49InterceptionMorgan 53-yd interception return TD, two-point try fails, cuts it to 24-15Cincinnati 90% → 72% (−18)

The two plays that swung it

1Q1 5:01Penalty46-yd punt, unnecessary roughness on TtuTexas Tech 61% → 75% (+14)
2Q3 8:49InterceptionMorgan 53-yd interception return TD, two-point try fails, cuts it to 24-15Texas Tech 10% → 28% (+18)

That's targeting. You don't need contact leading with the helmet. Even if he hit with the shoulder (which he did), it's the shoulder to the head and neck area of a defenseless…

Q3 9:29 · r/CFB game thread

What fans said, play by play

The line in bold above each quote is written by our model from the thread’s comments and the play-by-play.

Q2 0:31Hammond's interception by Cannon ends Texas Tech's drive with 31 seconds left in the halfI'm done, not watching anymore while Leftwich and Hammond are the offenser/CFB game thread
Q2 0:08Cincinnati scores to lead 24-6 at halftime, sparking Texas Tech fan despairLook on the bright side, we live in a world where fans will rush the field when they beat Texas Tech.r/CFB game thread
Q3 9:29Fans argue officials rigged game by overturning targeting call on Morgan interceptionone of the most insane protect the ranked team replay overturns i've ever seen.r/CFB game thread
Q3 8:43French throws interception, sparking targeting debate and collapse fearsLike brother you confirmed it was targeting lolr/CFB game thread
Q4 6:06Fans react to a controversial political ad during Cincinnati's touchdown drive0 offensive touchdowns against a team that WVU put 45 on last weekr/CFB game thread

Cincinnati’s chance to win after every play.

How to read this chart

Starts from the pregame line (Texas Tech -10.5), at 30% for Cincinnati (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores. Outlined diamonds mark rare plays. Under the scores, r/CFB comments per minute from fans with a Cincinnati or Texas Tech flair (452 and 1,180); both sides share one scale, regulation only. A gold diamond marks a play fans were reacting to.

Watch the plays

The bar and the arrow show Cincinnati’s chance to win after each play; the logo is the team the play helped.

Every drive

Cincinnati scored on 6 of its 15 drives; Texas Tech on 5 of its 12.

Cincinnati’s drives are teal, Texas Tech’s amber. A line runs from where a drive started to where it ended; a filled dot means it scored.

From Texas Tech’s side

Texas Tech’s best moment: Morgan 53-yd interception return TD, two-point try fails, cuts it to 24-15 (Q3 8:49). It lifted Texas Tech’s win chance by 18 points.

How Texas Tech fans took it: “I should be mad but I mean this whole thing is just so poetic. All you can do is laugh and imagine how cathartic it must be to be a Cincy fan today.” r/CFB game thread

When fans got loud

Busy

It was the third quarter that had fans talking the most.

Jump to the loudest stretch

The jump was busy; the crowd was busy.

A large share of the loudest stretch was about the officiating.

Two crowds, one game

The words each side’s fans used far more than the other side, from the game thread.

Cincinnati fans

tabb“Finally so many people realizing, that Tabb is so good (next one RB in this category will be Torrance Burgess Jr. from Texas State)”

Texas Tech fans

leftwich“I'm done, not watching anymore while Leftwich and Hammond are the offense”

Both sets of fans kept coming back to: call, now, half, run.

What it cost

Texas Tech’s chance to make the playoff fell from 47% to 31%.

Make the playoff

Texas Tech · lost47% → ▼31%

Cincinnati · won0% → 0%

Win the conference

Texas Tech · lost37% → ▼26%

Cincinnati · won0% → 0%

Before the game (October 23, 2026) → after this result alone, in our model. Other games that weekend move it too, so the team page may differ.

Texas Tech plays vs Arizona on Sat Oct 31 with a 31% chance to make the playoff.

Box score

Cincinnati 37, Texas Tech 24

Cincinnati covered +10.5 by 23.5. The total, 61, went over 57.5.

Team totals	Texas Tech	Cincinnati
Total yards	400	427
Passing	24 of 37, 227 yds	19 of 30, 172 yds
Rushing	39 for 173 yds	40 for 255 yds
First downs	22	21
Third down	3 of 15	4 of 13
Fourth down	2 of 3	1 of 3
Turnovers	3	2
Penalties	13 for 85 yds	5 for 55 yds
Time of possession	30:43	29:17

Texas Tech leaders

Passing Will Hammond 24 of 37, 227 yds, 1 INT
Rushing J'Koby Williams 12 for 81 yds; Quinten Joyner 12 for 69 yds, 1 TD
Receiving Kenny Johnson 7 for 81 yds; Coy Eakin 4 for 45 yds

Cincinnati leaders

Passing JC French 19 of 30, 172 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing Cole Tabb 16 for 173 yds, 1 TD; JC French 12 for 46 yds
Receiving Zylan Perry 4 for 43 yds; JaVonnie Gibson 4 for 43 yds

No rain and calm

61° at kickoff · no rain recorded · wind 4 mph from the northeast, gusts to 16

The usual here around this date is 57°, with about 7 in 10 games between 45° and 69°.

October game-day temperatures at Nippert Stadium

Drag along the chart, or step through the game.

Third quarter, 8:49 left2:23 p.m.

Texas Tech 15, Cincinnati 24 · Cincinnati 72% to win

no rain · wind 5 mph from the north-northeast, gusts to 12 · 70°

Morgan 53-yd interception return TD, two-point try fails, cuts it to 24-15

Measured at Cincinnat/lunken airport, 5.6 miles away, and Cincinnati / N Kentucky International airport, 10 miles away. Wind and rain are airport readings near the stadium, not on the field. Game times come from the play-by-play, good to a minute or two. Source: National Weather Service, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Field direction from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Before kickoff

Recent games, the series and the betting line below are as they stood going in; the season profile is the season so far.

Recent games

Last three games

Texas Tech · 6-0

Rated 7th in our preseason ratings, 9th now.

Three straight wins — but still hunting a ranked opponent.

W 53-25 vs Arizona State No. 75 of 668 teams

won by 28 as a 16.5-point favorite

W 29-7 @ Colorado No. 107 of 668 teams

won by 22 as a 13.5-point favorite

W 49-14 vs Sam Houston No. 131 of 668 teams

won by 35 as a 34.5-point favorite

W 28-26 vs HoustonTop 25 No. 12 of 668 teams

won by 2 as a 7.5-point favorite

W 35-24 @ Oregon State No. 60 of 668 teams

won by 11 as a 25.5-point favorite

W 33-10 vs Abilene Christian No. 108 of 668 teams

won by 23 as a 45.5-point favorite

Last three games

Cincinnati · 4-2

Rated 109th in our preseason ratings, 87th now, up 22 spots.

1-2 in its last three, including a 5-point win over Kansas State as a 6-point underdog.

L 42-45 @ West Virginia No. 147 of 668 teams

lost by 3 as a 1.5-point underdog

L 7-34 @ ArizonaTop 25 No. 20 of 668 teams

lost by 27 as a 7-point underdog

W 31-26 vs Kansas State No. 30 of 668 teams

won by 5 as a 6-point underdog

W 35-31 vs Miami (OH) No. 85 of 668 teams

won by 4 as a 14.5-point favorite

W 62-10 vs Western Carolina No. 193 of 668 teams

won by 52 as a 36.5-point favorite

W 34-15 vs Boston College No. 131 of 668 teams

won by 19 as a 7-point favorite

Week by week

Cincinnati

Wk 2Wvs Western Carolina62-10
Wk 3Wvs Miami (OH)35-31
Wk 4Wvs Kansas State31-26
Wk 5Lat Arizona7-34
Wk 7Lat West Virginia42-45

Texas Tech

Wk 2Wat Oregon State35-24
Wk 3Wvs Houston28-26
Wk 4Wvs Sam Houston49-14
Wk 5Wat Colorado29-7
Wk 7Wvs Arizona State53-25

Power rating by week

Texas Tech is rated 12.5 points ahead as of week 7. Our power rating by week; higher is better.

Matchups

Biggest mismatch: Cincinnati’s explosive plays against Texas Tech, 82 points

Each row ranks the two sides among all teams. The longer the line, the bigger the mismatch.

Cincinnati’s explosive plays against Texas Tech’s defense
Cincinnati offense, 98th percentile · Texas Tech defense, 16th
Texas Tech’s passing EPA against Cincinnati’s defense
Texas Tech offense, 68th percentile · Cincinnati defense, 11th
Texas Tech’s success rate against Cincinnati’s defense
Texas Tech offense, 81st percentile · Cincinnati defense, 29th

Season profile, all the rows

Season profile

Texas TechCincinnati

EPA/play, offense

EPA/play, defense

Success rate, offense

Success rate, defense

Explosive-play rate, offense

Explosive-play rate, defense

Rush EPA, offense

Rush EPA, defense

Pass EPA, offense

Pass EPA, defense

The series

Texas Tech leads the series 1-0-1

2 meetings since 1968 · Texas Tech won the last meeting

2024Texas Tech 44-41
1968Tie 10-10

Each line is Cincinnati’s chance to win through that meeting. Older meetings have no play by play, so no line.

Line, fans and home field

The betting line, and the fans

Texas Tech fans are feeling it less than most fanbases this week (19th percentile among FBS fanbases), and the other side is no happier.

Texas Tech favored by 10.5 · Total 57.5

How games like this usually go

Texas Tech by 10.5, on the usual path until Q2 10:02

Half of games8 in 10 gamesThis game

The band is where a favorite’s chance ran in the 415 games since 2025 with a favorite of 7.5 to 14.5 points.

The market

The spread moved 1 point toward Cincinnati.

The total rose 1 point.

The books’ cut: 4.2%, the margin built into the odds

Home field

Cincinnati is worth +5.8 points (±3.9) more at home than on the road since 2018 — top third of FBS, 80th percentile.

76% at home, 58% on the road against FBS opponents (38-12 home, 25-18 away).

Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge (why); the books use about 3. Against the closing line this stadium reads +4.0 at home vs. away over 98 games — inside the ±5.9 noise, so the flat number is the honest one here.

The visitors travel about 1,037 miles to get here.

Where next

Conference standings

Going into this game: place in the conference, then conference record.

Cincinnati10th1-2
Texas Tech2nd3-0

Full Big 12 standings

Cincinnati upsets No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24