Roberts even suggested that BYU would beat Texas Tech if allotted another chance, and true to form, he reaffirmed his confidence this past week in preparation for Saturday’s showdown.

“I had full confidence that we’d play them again in the Big 12 Championship,” Roberts said. “I know that our head coach did, too, and if he says it, then I can feel confident in saying it, too…I’m going to say things that I truly believe and we’re going to go out and follow it up. We’re here, and it’s exciting. So to have this opportunity…I know the impact that this can have…and we’re going to leave our hearts out on the field.”

BYU is going to need every ounce of confidence, and then some if it hopes to pull an upset in a game where it’s been pegged as two touchdown underdogs by the sportsbooks in Las Vegas.

What the Red Raiders present was on full display during BYU’s aforementioned dismal performance the last time around. Ranked as the No. 3 defense nationally, Texas Tech choked off any semblance of a rushing attack while limiting just about everything else for almost the entirety of the 60 minutes of game time while doing enough offensively to make the outcome hardly in dispute.

It’s what Texas Tech has done throughout the season to just about everyone, so why expect anything different come Saturday?

Well, BYU’s running game should prove better this time around, armed with an LJ Martin who admitted to approaching the game with a lack of confidence due to the shoulder injury he sustained in the game two week’s prior versus Iowa State. Martin ran for just 35 yards on 10 carries in the loss, but has since hit his stride and was recently named as the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, as a result. Also, Martin may receive some much-needed relief with Sione Moa once again appearing on the depth chart for the first time since he last played in a win over East Carolina.

Roberts himself is also expected to return to action after sitting out last week’s win over UCF with a reported hamstring injury.

“We’re ready to go,” Roberts said. “We’ve been talking about it since day one, even with a freshman quarterback standing there, not knowing what’s going to happen. But we were manifesting it and I felt it the momet I arrived here at BYU five years ago that my senior year…that we were going to be one of the top teams in the nation and a powerhouse.”

While Roberts fully believes in his team’s ascendence, although the national media, and certainly the CFP committee, apparently do not. Despite many metrics playing to BYU’s favor in receiving an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff, even should it lose come Saturday, the committee has still left the Cougars outside of the 12-team playoff, positioning them as the No. 11 overall seed and as the last team out due to lower-ranked champions of both the ACC Conference and so-called G-5 program representative jumping in due to being allotted automatic bids.

So what BYU can prove against Texas Tech is that it does belong, and is a serious contender for a national championship, a prospect that seemed ridiculous to assert as recently as two years ago, after a brutal initial campaign within the Big12 Conference that culminated into a 5-7 record. Since then BYU’s record has spoken loudly for itself, as the saying goes, evidenced by a stellar 22-3 overall mark with an invitation to the College Football Playoff right there for the taking.

“We have our work cut out for us, but we’re looking forward to the matchup,” said BYU Coach Kalani Sitake. “…We’re looking forward to being at our best because it’s required of us when playing the best team in the nation, and that’s Texas Tech. I’m looking forward to the matchup.”