TTU Goes Cold in Second Half Making Record 8-0
TTU kicked off their parents and family weekend this past Saturday, and after going cold in the second half, they would fall to Kansas State. The game was played on Saturday, October 23rd, in an early game at 11 am. It would be a home game for the Red Raiders in Lubbock, Texas, at Jones AT&T Stadium and would present one of Texas Tech’s best and worst halves of football this season.
The game would be considered a must-win as it was the Red Raider’s final conference opponent of the season that is not ranked. Remaining on Texas Tech’s schedule are Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Baylor. All four have had fair seasons and look to either make the college football playoffs or a bowl game.
First Quarter
The Red Raiders came out on absolute fire by going up 14-0 in the first five minutes of the contest. After receiving the ball, Tech would waste no time scoring on a two-play 75-yard drive. The first play would be from wide receiver Kaylon Geiger Jr., followed and capped off by Eric Ezukanma on a 45-yard jet sweep.
Now up 7-0 in just 30-seconds, the Texas Tech recovered the ball on the kickoff and begin another drive. This time on a six-play 23-yard drive that took 2:34 off the clock and get the Red Raiders up 14-0 early. The drive was be capped off on a one-yard rush from SaRodrick Thompson and would put the Red Raiders in a good spot early.
Second Quarter
After a solid first quarter, the Red Raiders also fared well in the second. This time the Kansas State Wildcats would get on the board first. On a 14-play 78-yard drive taking up 10:04 of the clock. It was be capped off by Deuce Vaughn, who punched it in on a one-yard rush to make it 7-14.
After the Wildcats’ score, Texas Tech got the ball back. To go on a 10-play seventy-five-yard drive that taking 4:35 off the clock. On this drive, it again was capped off by Thompson. For his second score of the afternoon, this time on a four-yard rush. Now up 21-7, the Red Raiders would have a fair lead that they would need to maintain.
With the Wildcats back in possession of the ball, they would use just 2:50 of the clock. On the six-play 29-yard drive, K-State would be held to a fourth down and forced to kick and make a 24-yard field goal to make the score of the contest 21-10 with 2:40 left in the half.
Texas Tech would respond with a kick of their own right as the half ended. It would top off a 10-play 66-yard drive and be a 27-yarder from Jonathan Garibay to make the score 24-10 heading into the half.
Third Quarter
After a dominant first half, the TTU offense went cold in the second half, eventually falling to Kansas State. The turning point in the game would be when the Red Raiders were be backed up in their endzone, and the Wildcats would force a safety. This gave K-State another two points and give them the ball back where they would then capitalize. After getting the ball back, they would use only 3:25 of the clock on six-plays on 69-yards. The drive would result in a score courtesy of Vaughn, who punched it in for a two-yard touchdown.
Fourth Quarter
Heading into the fourth with a scoreless third quarter, the Red Raiders still led 24-17 lead. Unfortunately, this lead wouldn’t last much longer. As the Texas Tech offense fell cold and not get any more points on the board. The Wildcats, now with possession of the ball, would take 5:34 off the clock on a nine-play 66-yard drive. This time Skyler Thompson then connected to Vaughn on a 22-yard pass to make the score. After doing so, the Red Raiders would prevent a two-point conversion, but it would be too little too late.
The Red Raiders then got the ball back, but the offense would struggle in the second half would not be able to get it done. This would make the final of the game 24-25, with the Red Raiders falling.
Notable Statistics
While the Red Raiders may have lost, the statistics of the game are worth noting. The Red Raiders offense would be on the field for just 24:40 and have 318 yards of total offense. Quarterback Henry Colombi would account for 148 of those yards on ten completions.
While 318 may not seem like a lot, it was a balanced attack with 148 yards on the ground and another 170 through the air. Moving forward, the team will need at least 500 yards of offense per game with that kind of balance.
A notable instance in the game that cannot be overlooked is the 3rd and thirty that the Wildcats faced. While it would be an easy three and out a hands to the face penalty gave K-State a first down. Texas Tech on the day would have five penalties for forty yards but will need to eliminate those situations in critical situations.
Overall
Overall, the TTU would go cold in the second half, falling to K-State. While it was a big-time loss, the season is not over with four remaining games on the schedule. Currently, Tech after the loss is 5-3 and 2-3 in the Big 12 Conference. Tech will look to improve heading into the rest of the season. Next on the Red Raiders schedule are the Oklahoma Sooners, who are currently undefeated and ranked top ten in the country.
The matchup is slated for Saturday, October 30th at 2:30 pm and played in Norman, Oklahoma. The game will be played at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and will be a big game for the Red Raiders. With OU playing very inconsistent this year, it would be a prime opportunity for Tech to sneak a game away.
You can watch the game on ABC or Texas Tech Sports Network, and tickets are still available at TexasTech.com.
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Story by Campus Live Employee Trinity Porter