Final Wrap: Kansas 37, Texas Tech 34

GETTING STARTED

• Weather at Kickoff: 60, clear skies, SSW wind at 6 mph
• Today’s game was televised nationally on FS1.
• Today’s game marked the 21st all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Kansas.
• Texas Tech won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Tech is 6-2 in the pregame coin flip this year.
• Texas Tech wore its black/white/white combination for the second time this season. The Red Raiders are now 1-4 since 2009 when wearing this combination.
• Today’s game captains were Jordyn Brooks (LB), Eli Howard (DL), Erik Ezukanma (WR) and Broderick Washington Jr. (DL).
• Today’s attendance: 31,036

Starters – (Offense) – (LT) Travis Bruffy, (LG) Madison Akomnonu, (C) Dawson Deaton, (RG) Weston Wright (RT) Terence Steele, (QB) Jett Duffey, (RB) SaRodorick Thompson, (WR) T.J. Vasher, (TE) Donta Thompson, (WR) RJ Turner, (WR) Dalton Rigdon; (Defense) – (DE) Eli Howard, (T) Broderick Washington, Jr., (N) Jaylon Hutchings, (DL) Tony Bradford Jr., (Spur) Evan Rambo, (LB) Riko Jeffers, (LB) Jordyn Brooks, (S) Adrian Frye, (CB) DaMarcus Fields, (CB) Zech McPhearson, (S) Douglas Coleman III.

 

TEXAS TECH’S LOSS…

• Gives Texas Tech a 3-5 overall record and 1-4 mark in Big 12 play.
• Gives Texas Tech a 19-2 all-time record against Kansas, including a 10-1 mark in Lawrence.
• Gives Texas Tech a 15-2 record against Kansas during the Big 12 era.
• Gives Matt Wells a 47-39 record all-time as a head coach.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 3-5 at Texas Tech.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 0-1 against Kansas.

TEXAS TECH TEAM NOTES

•  Texas Tech’s 34 points marked the 16th time over the 17 meetings during the Big 12 era that the Red Raiders have scored at least 30 points against the Jayhawks. The lone exception came in 1997 when Tech topped Kansas, 17-7, in Lubbock.
•   Douglas Coleman III intercepted his FBS-leading seventh interception of the season on the first play of the game. It marked the first time the Red Raiders had forced a takeaway on the defense’s opening play since the 2018 season opener against Eastern Washington when Jah’Shawn Johnson forced a fumble that was recovered by Coleman.
•   The Coleman interception marked the seventh time this season the Red Raider defense has either forced a 3-and-out or a takeaway on the opening possession.
•  Texas Tech has forced 14 turnovers in the last six games (and for the season), including eight interceptions in the last four games alone. The Red Raiders entered this weekend ranked tied for 23rd in the FBS and tied for the Big 12 lead in takeaways.
•   Texas Tech has now scored in 288-straight games dating back to the 1997 season, a streak that now ranks ninth nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference.
•   Texas Tech shut out its opposition in the first quarter for the sixth time this season as the Red Raiders are now outscoring opponents, 51-24, over the first 15 minutes.
•   The touchdown pass to T.J. Vasher to start the third quarter marked the fourth time in five Big 12 contests the Red Raiders have scored on its opening possession of the second half.
•  The tight end position was a popular one for the Red Raiders this evening as Donta Thompson and Travis Kootnz combined for four receptions and 90 yards through the air. The duo had previously combined for a season high 71 yards earlier this season against Oklahoma State.
•   Texas Tech had 11 different receivers catch a pass on Saturday, marking the seventh time this season the Red Raiders have hit 10 or more receivers.

NOTING THE RED RAIDERS

•  Douglas Coleman IIIpicked off his FBS-leading seventh interception of the season to start the game, moving him into a tie for fifth all-time in Texas Tech single-season history alongside Teddy Roberts (1964) and Darcel McBath (2008). The interception was also his 10th of his career, pushing him into a tie for ninth in program history with Kevin Curtis (1998-01). Coleman, who was the only power-five player with more than four interceptions entering this weekend, added three tackles from his spot at safety.
•  Jett Duffeyput together another efficient performance in his fourth start of the season as the junior finished 23-of-34 for 271 yards and three touchdowns. He also added a season-high 40 rushing yards.
•  Trey Wolffconnected on a pair of field goals, hitting from 24 yards out to start the second quarter and then from 27 yards with 5:39 remaining in the third quarter. He is now an impressive 14-of-16 on field goals this season and needs one more successful attempt to tie the trio of Brian Hall (1976), Scott Segrist (1988) and Alex Trilica (2006)for ninth in Texas Tech single-season history.
•  Jordyn Brooks’nine tackles tonight moved the senior into sole possession of ninth all-time on the Texas Tech career chart as he passed Ryan Aycock (2000-03) in the first quarter. Brooks now has 346 over his career. Two of his tackles went for a loss, giving him 15.5 now for the year, the most for a Red Raider in a season since Brandon Sharpe had 18.0 in 2009.
•  SaRodorick Thompsonfound the end zone for the eighth time already this season and the 11th time over his career with a one-yard touchdown scamper with 5:01 remaining in the first quarter. He led the Red Raiders in rushing for the sixth time this season after totaling 80 yards on the ground on 20 carries.
•  Travis Koontzhauled in a 32-yard pass over the middle early in the second quarter that marked the longest reception of his Red Raider career. The catch set up Texas Tech’s second touchdown of the night, which came on a nine-yard pass to McLane Mannix. Koontz finished with two receptions for 39 yards in the game.
•  McLane Mannix’snine-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter marked his third of the season and the 16th of his career dating back to his two seasons at Nevada.
•  T.J. Vasherhauled in his team-leading sixth touchdown pass of the season and the 19th of his career on a 19-yard strike to close Texas Tech’s opening possession of the second half. Vasher, who had two receptions for 33 yards, now needs two more touchdown receptions to match the trio of Carlos Francis (2000-03), Wes Welker (2000-03) and Nehemiah Glover (2001-04) for ninth all-time in program history.
•  Zech McPhearsonblocked a Kansas extra point late in the third quarter, marking Texas Tech’s first blocked kick this season and the first for the Red Raiders on a PAT since Terrance Bullitt got his hand on a Kansas kick in the 2011 meeting between the two schools.
•  Dalton Rigdonwas on the receiving end of his third touchdown reception of the season early in the fourth quarter as he and Duffey connected on a 48-yard strike with 12:18 remaining. The touchdown was the second-longest reception of Rigdon’s career as he previously went for 49 yards earlier this year against UTEP. He ended the night as Texas Tech’s leading receiver with seven receptions for 76 yards.
• Nick McCann blocked a Kansas field goal late in the fourth quarter, marking Texas Tech’s first blocked field goal this season and the second blocked kick of the game. It was the first blocked field goal attempt since Kris Williams knocked down a 39-yard try against TCU in 2016.

Matt Dowdy