Texas Tech falls to Cincinnati 37-24 in Big 12 matchup

Texas Tech lost to the Cincinnati Bearcats 37-24 on Saturday in a Big 12 conference game. The Red Raiders were down 24-6 at halftime after committing two turnovers and scoring only six points in the first half. Cincinnati maintained the lead for the remainder of the contest, finishing with a 13-point margin.

Quarterback Will Hammond started for Texas Tech after Brendan Sorsby was ruled ineligible for the season following an NCAA investigation into alleged gambling violations. The ineligibility decision came after a court injunction that would have allowed Sorsby to play was withdrawn.

The defeat comes as Texas Tech seeks to remain competitive in the Big 12, where teams such as BYU, Utah, Houston and Utah are also contending for top positions. The loss may affect the Red Raiders' prospects for a conference championship and a potential College Football Playoff berth.

"We will evaluate what went wrong and focus on improving our performance moving forward," said head coach Joey McGuire.

Cincinnati's victory marks a significant upset, as the Bearcats were unranked entering the game while Texas Tech was ranked No. 8 in the AP poll.