LUBBOCK, TX — The Texas Tech Red Raiders returned home after a tough loss to Washington State looking to right the ship when they hosted the North Texas Mean Green on Saturday, September 14. Tech's offense jumped out to a hot start, but it was the Red Raider defense that truly came to play. After three first-half takeaways, the Red Raiders are blowing out North Texas 52-7.
1st Quarter
Tahj Brooks returned to the lineup after missing last week due to an unspecified arm injury. He had early success in the run game, compiling more than 60 yards in the 1st quarter alone. That success led to four scores for Texas Tech in the first quarter.
Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton hit wide receiver Josh Kelly for 10 yards to put Tech up 7-0. Following a punt, Tech's Gino Garcia nailed a 25-yard field goal, followed by another touchdown pass from Morton, this time to Coy Eakin, for 70 yards. Tahj Brooks added a touchdown on a 21-yard run, and Texas Tech led 24-7 at the end of the 1st quarter.
2nd Quarter
Tech's defense decided that they wanted to own the 2nd quarter. The Red Raiders secondary picked off UNT's Chandler Morris three times, returning one of them for a touchdown. Braelyn Lux scored for Texas Tech on a 44-yard interception return.
Morris continued to struggle on the next three possessions, all leading to Tech touchdowns. Bryce Ramirez snagged an interception that set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Morton, a punt led to a 45-yard touchdown pass from Morton to Johncarlos Miller II, and finally, Chapman Lewis added an interception to his stat sheet to set up Morton to Jalin Conyers for another 10-yard touchdown.
Texas Tech led at the half, 52-7.
3rd Quarter
Texas Tech took its foot off the gas in the 3rd quarter as the two teams traded touchdowns. The majority of the starters took a seat, and the backups came in to snag some quality playing time. Backup quarterback Cameran Brown and Will Hammond replaced Behren Morton at quarterback in the 2nd half and managed two more Red Raider touchdowns. Hammond, a Freshman from Hutton High School, hit Tech's 5-star freshman, Micah Hudson, on a 36-yard pass to the 1-yard line before J'Koby Williams finished of the drive with a score.
North Texas scored one touchdown in the 3rd quarter.
4th Quarter
Hammond opened up the quarter with another touchdown drive. After running back Cameron Dickey set the Red Raiders up on the right side of the 50, Hammond his Conyers on a dart to the 1-yard line. Dickey finished off the drive, and the Red Raiders led 66-14.
North Texas responded to the long touchdown drive by Texas Tech with an explosive drive. The Mean Green's Miles Coleman took a short pass down the sideline for 49 yards down to the Red Raiders' 6-yard line. North Texas' Shane Porter scored 2-plays later, but this one was still a blowout, 66-21, with 9:19 remaining in the 4th quarter.
With time running out, Tech's defense made one final stand to end the game. Less than 30 seconds remained when the Red Raiders found their backs against the wall. North Texas drove the football down to Texas Tech's 4-yard line before the Red Raiders made a stand. With time running out, the Red Raiders stuffed Morris behind the line for a sack.
Watch the final play below:
Time expired on that play, and the Red Raiders claimed victory, 66-21.
Stats
Texas Tech Total Offense:
- 415 Yards
Passing:
- B. Morton - 14/18, 263 yards, 3 TDS
- W. Hammond - 4/6, 66 yards
- C. Brown - 4/8, 11 yards, 1 INT
Rushing:
- T. Brooks - 17 CAR, 109 yards, 1 TD
- C. Dickey - 10 CAR, 75 yards, 1 TD
- J. Williams - 4 CAR, 27 yards, 1 TD
- B. Morton - 2 CAR, 11 yards, 1 TD
- C. Brown - 2 CAR, 11 yards
- W. Hammond - 2 CAR, 11 yards
Receiving:
- C. Eakin - 1 catch, 70 yards, 1 TD
- M. Hudson - 3 catches, 43 yards
- J. Miller II - 2 catches, 55 yards, 1 TD
- J.Brown - 3 catches, 49 yards
- J. Kelly - 2 catches, 36 yards, 1 TD
- C. Douglas - 2 catches, 24 yards
- J. Conyers - 4 catches, 36 yards, 1 TD
- D. McCray - 2 catches, 12 yards
- J. Williams - 1 catch, 10 yards
- C. Dickey - 2 catches, 8 yards
- B. Boyd - 1 catch, 7 yards
- T. Turner - 1 catch, 4 yards
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