The No. 4 Texas Tech will be taking on the No. 5, Oregon, for the Orange Bowl at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Both teams have been very good all year and are aiming to make it to the College Football Playoff semifinals and one step closer to the national title. Expect both teams to try and go all-out against one another in this highly anticipated contest.
While this is a CFP bowl game, both teams are still expected to not field several players due to either being injured or opting out due to entering the transfer portal, declaring for the NFL draft, or other reasons. So, who will not be playing in Miami on New Year’s Day, and will there be any big names from either team?
Orange Bowl: Oregon vs. Texas Tech Opt-Outs And Injury Report
Oregon Ducks
- RB Makhi Hughes: Will not play, redshirted
- RB Da’Juan Riggs: Injured, questionable
- WR Evan Stewart: Injured, questionable
- WR Kyler Kasper: Injured, questionable
- WR Justius Lowe: Injured, questionable
- CB Sione Laulea: Injured, questionable
- CB Dakoda Fields: Opted out, transfer portal
The Ducks do not have as many players opting out or entering the transfer portal just yet, especially as they have a chance to win the national title. That being said, they also do not have many players who are seriously injured, with the one who has played the most snaps so far this season being WR Justius Lowe. This means that Oregon is pretty much coming into the contest more or less complete and ready to fight for their first-ever Natty.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
- QB Will Hammond: Injured, out for the season
- RB Quinten Joyner: Injured, out for the season
- OG Hunter Zambrano: Injured, out for the season
- DL Skyler Gill Howard: Injured, questionable
- CB Maurion Horn: Injured, questionable
The Red Raiders have long lived under the shadow of Texas and Texas A&M, but now, both those teams have been eliminated, and they are considered the fourth-best team in the country. They still have plenty to prove, though, and their QB2, Will Hammond, will be out of the game, with him being the biggest name expected to miss the Orange Bowl.
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