Texas Tech outlasts Kansas Jayhawks 43-28 in Big 12 football battle in Lubbock
Texas Tech’s football team kept its hopes of qualifying for a bowl game alive by topping the bowl-bound Kansas Jayhawks, 43-28, on Saturday night at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.
Quarterback Tyler Shough completed 20 of 33 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 76 yards and a score, as the Red Raiders (5-5, 3-4 in the Big 12) won their fifth home game in six tries. Texas Tech also moved to within one win of bowl eligibility.
The Jayhawks (6-4, 3-4) who cut an early 17-point deficit (24-7) to three points late in the first half and a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to five points with eight minutes to play, fell to 2-22 all-time against the Red Raiders.
KU has lost 15 of its last 16 games against Tech. The Red Raiders, who got 68 rushing yards on seven carries and a TD from SaRodorick Thompson, were outgained by KU in total yardage, 525-506, but won the turnover battle 2-0.
Kansas running back Devin Neal gained 190 yards on 24 carries with a long run of 63 yards.
KU quarterback Jason Bean completed 17 of 28 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns (with one interception) and rushed for 10 net yards on four carries, including a 16-yard score that cut the deficit to 24-14 in the second quarter. He also lost a fumble on a sack late in the game with KU down eight points. At that point KU needed a TD drive and a two-point conversion to force overtime. That fumble led to a final Texas Tech score.
The Bean-led offense scored 21 points in the first half but just seven in the second. Freshman quarterback Ethan Vasko played QB on KU’s final drive. He hit 3 of 5 passes for 13 yards.
KU touchdowns were scored by tight end Jared Casey (66-yard pass play) and receivers Luke Grimm (3-yard pass play) and Quentin Skinner (20-yard pass play).
Texas Tech needed just 3 minutes, 9 seconds to grab a 7-0 lead. The Red Raiders accepted the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in eight plays, scoring on a 6-yard TD run up the middle by QB Donovan Smith. Smith was used just one play in that drive. Starting QB Shough directed the team downfield; the running QB entering for the score.
KU answered immediately.
Lance Leipold went for it on fourth-and-1 at KU’s own 34. Bean threw over the top to Casey, who raced 66 yards for a score. Tight end Trevor Cardell had two nice blocks on the pass play.
Texas Tech made it 10-7 with 5:53 left in the first on a 33-yard field goal by Trey Wolff.
Tech took control after a 41-yard missed field goal try by KU’s Jacob Borcila. The Red Raiders marched 76 yards in six plays to take a 17-7 lead on a 36-yard TD run by Thompson with 48 seconds left in the first quarter.
Texas Tech increased its lead to 24-7 with 9:36 left in the first half on a 1-yard pass from Shough to tight end Mason Tharp on a first-and-goal call. That capped a 12-play, 61-yard drive.
At that point in the game Texas Tech had run 37 plays to KU’s 14.
KU cut the gap to 10 points at 24-14 following a 16-yard run by Bean on a first-down call. KU’s scoring drive went 77 yards in seven plays. Lawrence Arnold had a 31-yard reception on that drive.
The Jayhawks followed a stop by the defense with a four-play, 73 yard drive that cut the deficit to 24-21 with 2:31 left before halftime.
Neal had a spectacular 63-yard run on the drive that set up a 3-yard pass from Bean to Grimm for the TD.
After a Bean interception, Texas Tech scored on the last play of the first half. Wolff drilled a 51-yard field goal that gave the Red Raiders a 27-21 lead.
KU kicker Borcila, for the second time in the game, hit the right goalpost, missing a 37-yard field goal with 7:55 left in the third quarter. That kept the Red Raiders in front 27-21.
Tech linebacker Tyree Wilson, who is considered an NFL prospect, was hurt and taken to the locker room midway through the third quarter and Tech still leading by six. He returned to watch the fourth quarter from the sidelines on crutches.
Shough scrambled on a first-and-goal call at the 9 and scored on a run up the middle on the first play of the fourth quarter. The run capped a nine-play, 79-yard drive for Texas Tech — and put the Red Raiders up 33-21 with 14:52 left after the Jayhawks swarmed Shough to stop a 2-point attempt.
KU cut the gap to 33-28 with 8:06 to play following a 20-yard pass from Bean to Skinner, who got a foot down in the right corner of the end zone. The scoring drive, KU’s first of the second half, went 60 yards on six plays.
Wolff extended Tech’s lead to eight points (36-28) with 4:19 to play by booting a 30-yard field goal.
KU had a chance to drive and score — and secure a game-tying two-point conversion. Instead, Bean was sacked on first down and lost the football via fumble to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders promptly scored on a 5-yard run by Tahj Brooks that capped a three-play, 8-yard drive and made it 43-28 with 3:33 left.
Down 15, KU went with Vasko at QB for its final possession.
This story was originally published November 12, 2022 at 10:07 PM.
