Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire saw his team as low as it had been since he arrived in Lubbock. A disgruntled fan base was questioning everything. So there was some angst heading into a game that could only be classified as a gut-check moment. Well, the Red Raiders answered the bell so violently, that the victory bells at the administration building on campus were warming up before halftime. Texas Tech dominated North Texas by a score of 66-21.
Completely Different Team
The Red Raiders jumped out to a 10-0 lead early in the first quarter. But on the very first play on the ensuing North Texas drive, they threw a routine bubble screen that went 75 yards for a touchdown cutting the lead to 10-7. Inside Jones AT&T stadium, there was a noticeable level of uneasiness. It was playing out exactly how the Abilene Christian game did. But the offense came back on the field and answered with a touchdown to push the lead back up to 17-7. However, what happened next was significant.
North Texas drove down to the Texas Tech eight-yard line. The game was trending to the back-and-forth shoot-out that many anticipated. But the Red Raider’s defense did not break and forced a field goal attempt that sailed wide right of the goal post. That uneasiness from the stadium released much like the air out of a balloon. From that drive until halftime, Texas Tech would outscore North Texas 35-0.
Defense Was A Magnet For The Ball
Texas Tech dominated in that second quarter in a way that hasn’t been seen in a long time. Tim DeRuyter’s defense held the Mean Green to 163 yards of offense in the first half. More impressively, they intercepted North Texas quarterback Chandler Morris three times, including one return for a touchdown. Thanks to that effort, Texas Tech went into halftime with a 52-7 lead. The 52 points in the first half tied a school record. In the second half of the game, McGuire began getting many of the backups on both sides of the ball coming out of the locker room. But the defense did not let up. North Texas did not convert a third down until the fourth quarter.
Meaningful Snaps For Notable Back Ups
Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley saw all three quarterbacks get meaningful snaps in this game. Behern Morton, who noticeably was pressing last week against Washington State, looked more comfortable with Tahj Brooks joining him in the backfield. Morton, who did not play in the second half, was 15-for-19 passing for 273 yards and four touchdowns. Brooks, who was back in action this week, amassed 109 rushing yards on 17 carries and a touchdown in one half of work as well.
Freshman quarterback Will Hammond took the reins of the offense about mid-way through the third quarter and looked sharp in clean-up duty. He would finish 5-for-7 passing for 70 yards. However, the fans were happy to finally see Micah Hudson get on the field for more than two snaps. Hudson would finish the game with three receptions for 43 yards. In total, the Red Raider offense would finish with 598 yards of total offense.
Texas Tech Dominated Before Conference Play Begins
This was the type of game many expected should have been played in week one. Instead, it appeared the Red Raiders just took eight quarters of football before they showed up for the 2024 season. The penalties were noticeably cleaned up. Specifically, the procedural penalties which had been back-breakers the first two weeks, were essentially eliminated. Texas Tech dominated in a way that should put much of the fan base at ease. At least for one week. Texas Tech welcomes the surprising and surging Arizona State Sun Devils to Lubbock next week to open up Big 12 play.
