ARLINGTON, TX — The No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders squared off with No. 11 BYU at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 6, to determine who would take home the Big 12 Title. Texas Tech built a six-point lead in the first half before exploding in the final two quarters. The Red Raiders' defense dominated BYU in the second half, forcing four takeaways, and the Red Raiders claimed their first Big 12 Title in Program history.
FINAL - Texas Tech 34 BYU 7
1st Quarter
Texas Tech received the opening kickoff and found some success as the Red Raiders drove the ball into BYU territory. However, the Cougars' defense shut down the Red Raiders at the point and forced a punt. BYU took over at the Cougars' 10-yard line.
The Cougars went right to work, pushing the football down the field against a stingy Red Raider defense. BYU used a healthy mixture of run and quick passes to keep Freshman Quarterback Bear Bachmeier clean out of trouble. After converting several 3rd downs on the drive, the Cougars would strike first. Bachmeier scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to give BYU a 7-0 lead with less than five minutes to play in the 1st quarter.
Tech responded well after the score. Beginning at the 25-yard line, Texas Tech put together a long drive, deep into BYU territory. Quarterback Behren Morton converted two 3rd downs on two long passes to wide receiver Reggie Virgil to push Texas Tech past the 50. Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, two false start penalties inside BYU's 10-yard line killed the drive. Stone Harrington nailed the 23-yard field goal attempt to put Texas Tech on the board with 14:56 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
2nd Quarter
Texas Tech's overwhelming defense showed up on the Cougars' following drive. Two negative runs and an incomplete pass that was almost intercepted forced BYU to punt. The three-and-out gave the Red Raiders back the ball at Texas Tech's 39-yard line with 13.23 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
The Red Raiders wasted no time in taking their first lead of the ball game. The fans saw a healthy dose of Cam Dickey as he pushed Texas Tech across the 50-yard line. Then, Morton loaded up and launched a deep ball to Coy Eakin, who made an acrobatic catch for the 33-yard touchdown. Texas Tech took the lead, 10-7, with 10:42 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
Following the touchdown, Texas Tech's defense delivered yet again. After BYU managed a single first down, the Red Raiders forced a 4th down. The Cougars lined up to punt, but rolled the dice and ran a fake. However, Texas Tech was ready for it, and the pass fell incomplete. The Red Raiders took over in BYU territory at the 42-yard line.
Texas Tech failed to capitalize on the great field position. A single first down led to a missed field goal, and BYU took back over at the Cougars' 30-yard line with 4:51 remaining in the half.
Following another BYU punt, the Red Raiders received a bit of a lucky break. J'Koby Williams broke through the line and sprinted downfield, but an opportunistic BYU defense managed to punch out the football from behind. However, Terrance Carter Jr. was there to scoop up the ball and carry it inside BYU's 30-yard line. The Red Raiders failed to do much after that, but Harrington made up for his earlier miss with a 40-yard field goal.
BYU ran out the final seconds on the clock, and Texas Tech took a 13-7 lead into the half.
3rd Quarter
Texas Tech's defense had to make a stand early in the 3rd quarter. BYU drove down the field before the Red Raiders forced a 4th down. The Cougars missed a field goal, and Texas Tech took over. The tough defense continued. Texas Tech drove the ball to BYU's 15-yard line before a failed 4th down attempt handed the ball to the Cougars' offense.
Texas Tech's Ben Roberts came up with a game-changing play on BYU's ensuing possession. Faced with a 3rd and medium, BYU had to pass. Jacob Rodriguez and Ben Roberts blocked off the passing lanes, but it was Roberts who batted the pass up in the air and intercepted it. Tech took over at BYU's 11-yard line. The next play, Cam Dickey trotted into the end zone untouched for a Red Raider touchdown. A successful 2-point conversion left the score at 21-7 with 3 minutes to play in the 3rd quarter.
Texas Tech's defense forced another three-and-out following the score; however, the Red Raiders' offense only managed a single first down before punting the ball back to BYU. The Cougars took over at the BYU 12-yard line with nine seconds left in the 3rd quarter.
4th Quarter
The Red Raiders' defense took over the game in the 4th quarter. Texas Tech forced two turnovers on two straight drives. First, AJ Holmed Jr. caused a fumble that Romello Height recovered. After, Harrington nailed another field goal to extend the lead to 17. Then Ben Roberts snagged his second interception of the day on a one-handed, circus grab. Harrington missed a subsequent field goal to keep the score 24-7 with 10:36 to play.
Ben Roberts continued his incredible game with a pass breakup on a 4th down attempt to hand his offense back the football at Texas Tech's 36-yard line. Texas Tech made it to the 28-yard line before going for it on 4th down. Morton hit Eakin on a pass near the sideline. Instead of stepping out and settling for the first down, Eakin kept his feet and sprinted 28 yards to the house for his second touchdown. Texas Tech led 31-7 with 7:03 left in the 4th.
Texas Tech's defense seemed to be able to do no wrong as the Red Raiders forced their 4th takeaway of the day on the ensuing drive. This time, John Curry stripped the ball away from LJ Martin. Tech took over at the 39-yard line, looking to add more points. Another Harrington field goal, this time from 28, made the score 34-7 with time running out on the BYU Cougars.
Texas Tech forced another punt and ran out the rest of the clock to claim the Red Raiders' first Big 12 Title in program history.
Total Yards:
- Texas Tech - 377
- BYU - 200
Texas Tech Offensive Stats
Passing
B. Morton - 20/33 - 215 yards - 2 TDs
Rushing
- J. Williams - 15 carries - 80 yards
- C. Dickey - 18 carries - 72 yards - 1 TD
- T. Carter Jr. - 1 carries - 12 yards
- B. Morton - 4 carries - -2 yards
Receiving
- R. Virgil - 8 catches - 86 yards
- C. Dickey - 4 catches - 20 yards
- C. Eakin - 3 catches - 66 yards - 2 TDs
- T. Carter Jr. - 3 catches - 22 yards
- C. Douglas - 1 catch - 23 yards
- J. Williams - 1 catch - -2 yards
Kicking
S. Harrington - 4/6 - made 23, 40, 44, 28 - missed 48, 49
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