Texas Tech University Athletics
Bailey, Rodriguez named semifinalists for Lombardi Award
November 04, 2025 | Football
Texas Tech was one of only two FBS teams with multiple Lombardi Award semifinalists Tuesday
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and senior outside linebacker David Bailey were both recognized Tuesday as semifinalists for the Lombardi Award, which is presented to the nation's top college lineman or linebacker.
The Lombardi Award trimmed its preseason watch list to 13 semifinalists in total as Texas Tech joined top-ranked Ohio State with multiple players represented. Utah was the only other Big 12 program with a semifinalist in offensive lineman Spencer Fano. There was an exact tie in the voting process, forcing the Lombardi Award committee to expand the list from its originally-intended 12 semifinalists to 13 this year.
Both Rodriguez and Bailey should be serious contenders based on their performance this season for a Red Raider defense that currently leads the Big 12 and ranks fifth nationally for points allowed per game (13.2) and 10th for total yards allowed per game (271.3). Texas Tech is also the FBS leader after limiting opponents to only 74.6 yards a contest heading into a top-10 battle Saturday with No. 8 BYU.
Rodriguez has established himself as one of the nation's top turnover creators as he leads the FBS with seven forced fumbles this season. Rodriguez is one of four players in Big 12 history to force seven or more fumbles in a season and the first to do so since fellow Red Raider Dwayne Slay had eight in 2005. His total already ranks tied for seventh on the NCAA FBS chart since 2000 when forced fumbles started being tracked as a national stat category.
Rodriguez has forced six takeaways during Big 12 play alone this year as Texas Tech enters this weekend with a 5-1 league record and No. 9 national ranking. Rodriguez is the second-highest graded player in the country, according to Pro Football Focus, and the top-rated player when it comes to rushing defense with a 96.8 overall grade. He enters this weekend with a team-leading 77 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss and 1.0 sack. He also has five pass breakups, a fumble recovery he took 69 yards for a touchdown and two interceptions in a banner year.
In addition to Rodriguez, Texas Tech has boasted one of the nation's most dominant defensive lines with Bailey as the headliner with an FBS-leading 11.5 sacks this season. Bailey has totaled 9.0 sacks during Big 12 play alone as he is on pace to potentially snap the Texas Tech single-season record of 15.0 sacks that was set by Brandon Sharpe in 2009.
Pro Football Focus credits Bailey with creating 55 pressures already this season, which easily leads the FBS and is 11 more than the next-closest player from a power conference. Bailey has found the opposing quarterback at least once in eight of nine games thus far as he enters the BYU matchup with 27 tackles, including 14.0 that have gone for a loss, as well as two forced fumbles and one recovery. His 14.0 tackles for a loss rank third in the FBS and are tied for the most for a player from a power conference.
Bailey and Rodriguez will have another opportunity to impress voters Saturday in a top-10 matchup against No. 8 BYU inside Jones AT&T Stadium. Kickoff between the Red Raiders and Cougars is slated for 11 a.m. CT with television coverage provided on ABC. Â
