Can Oregon minimize impact of Texas Tech All-American linebacker Jacob Rodriguez in Orange Bowl?

EUGENE — Few defensive players impact the college football game in 2025 as much as Jacob Rodriguez.

It’s no exaggeration that the Texas Tech linebacker is the best defensive player Oregon has faced this season when the teams meet in the Orange Bowl, and certainly the most productive.

The Big 12 defensive player of the year, a unanimous All-American and the winner of the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski and Butkus awards, Rodriguez has 117 tackles (11 for loss) with four interceptions, six pass breakups and an FBS-leading seven forced fumbles with one returned for a touchdown.

Dan Lanning called Rodriguez “super instinctual,” especially when it comes to creating turnovers.

“It’s not necessarily just aggressive with them blitzing him; it’s his ability to find ways to get to the ball,” Lanning said. “Then when he gets to the ball he has intention to get the ball out every snap. He takes shots at the ball consistently.”

Rodriguez has been involved in 19 takeaways over his career, including nine this season. The Red Raiders are 13-1 when he creates a takeaway.

“On film you can see the dude literally running from one sideline to the other sideline making plays and effort,” UO center Iapani Laloulu said. “You can tell that they’re being taught effort to chase and strain to the ball.”

It’s hard to avoid Rodriguez given his ability to make plays between the tackles as well as out in space.

Offensive coordinator Will Stein said he “definitely poses a lot of threats” to the No. 5 Ducks, who have mixed results attempting to scheme around opposing top defenders this season.

“He’s played a lot of ball and feels like he’s really comfortable in their scheme,” Stein said.

It’s a task made more difficult with Rodriguez because of the talent around him, as Texas Tech has one of the most disruptive defenses in the country. Edge rushers David Bailey and Romello Height create pressure and a bevy of interior defenders plug running lanes.

With that amount of support and Rodriguez’s experience, it’s easy to see how he leads a wrecking crew on defense.

“They play really well as a unit and he’s a certainly a guy that brings that juice for them,” Lanning said. “You see the whole defense play with that mindset. He’s where it starts.”

No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1) vs. No. 5 Oregon (12-1)

• When: Thursday, January 1
• Time: 9 a.m. PT
• Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: You can watch this game on DIRECTV (free trial) or with Sling (a Sling day pass to watch this game and more is just $4.99). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.