Final Wrap: Kansas State 30, Texas Tech 27

GETTING STARTED

• Weather at Kickoff: 54 degrees, clear, wind NNW at 8 mph
• Today’s game was televised nationally on FS1.
• Today’s game marked the 20th all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Kansas State.
• Texas Tech won the coin toss and elected to receive. Tech is 8-3 in the pregame coin flip this year.
• Texas Tech wore its all-black uniform combination. The Red Raiders move to 1-1 this season and 12-11 since 2009 when wearing this combination.
• Today’s game captains were seniors Terence Steele (OL), Travis Bruffy (OL), Jordyn Brooks (LB) Douglas Coleman III (DB) and Broderick Washington Jr. (DL).
• Today’s attendance: 50,117
• Junior wide receiver T.J. Vasher saw his first action in the last three games.
• Sophomore slot receiver Dalton Rigdon sat out due to injury after starting the previous 10 games. Senior McLane Mannix started in his place.

Starters – (Offense) – (LT) Travis Bruffy, (LG) Madison Akomnonu, (C) Dawson Deaton, (RG) Weston Wright (RT) Terence Steele, (QB) Jett Duffey, (RB) SaRodorick Thompson, (WR) Erik Ezukanma (TE) Donta Thompson, (WR) RJ Turner, (WR) McLane Mannix; (Defense) – (DE) Eli Howard, (T) Broderick Washington, Jr., (N) Jaylon Hutchings, (Raider) Xavier Benson, (Spur) Adam Beck, (S) Thomas Leggett, (LB) Riko Jeffers, (LB) Jordyn Brooks, (CB) Adrian Frye, (CB) Zech McPhearson, (S) Douglas Coleman III.

TEXAS TECH’S LOSS…

• Gives Texas Tech a 4-7 overall record and 2-6 mark in Big 12 play.
• Gives Texas Tech a 9-11 all-time record against K-State, including a 7-5 mark in Lubbock.
• Gives Texas Tech a 6-10 record against KSU in the Big 12 era.
• Gives Matt Wells a 48-41 record all-time as a head coach.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 4-7 at Texas Tech.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 0-1 against K-State.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 15-12 in the month of November.

TEXAS TECH TEAM NOTES

•   Four of Tech’s last five losses have been by three points or less. This is the first time since 1985 that the Red Raiders have lost four games in a season by three points or less.
•   Texas Tech outrushed Kansas State (144-126) for the first time since 2015.
•   Texas Tech and K-State have combined for 50 points in 14 of the last 15 meetings as the two teams combined for 57 points Saturday.
•   The Texas Tech defense forced a three-and-out on its first series. It is the seventh time in 11 games Tech has forced a three-and-out or turnover to open the game. Only three teams this season have been able to find the endzone in the first quarter against the Red Raiders.
•   In the first half, Texas Tech out-gained K-State, 180-162, including an 89-36 advantage in rushing yards.
•   The Red Raiders have only allowed three sacks in the last four games and only 14 this season. Tech entered the game tied for 12th nationally and on top of the Big 12 with 1.20 sacks allowed per game.
•   Texas Tech has had a kickoff return of over 40 yards in back-to-back games with a 41-yard return from KeSean Carter against K-State. Last week against TCU, Ta’Zhawn Henry took one 63 yards to mark the longest return by a Red Raider this season.
•   Texas Tech has now scored in 291-straight games dating back to the 1997 season, a streak that now ranks eighth nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference.
•   For the first time since 1985, Texas Tech has now lost four games this season by three points or less this season.

NOTING THE RED RAIDERS

•  Jett Duffeyput together another strong performance in his seventh start of the year, going 28-49 passing for 334 yards and two touchdowns. It was his fifth game this season and third in a row with at least 300 yards. Duffey has thrown a touchdown pass in all seven starts this season.
•  SaRodorick Thompsonled the Red Raiders in rushing with 84 yards on 21 carries. He has been Tech’s leading rusher seven times this season with six of those coming in Big 12 play. He tallied his team-leading 11th rushing touchdown of the season and has found the endzone eight times in the last six games alone.
•  RJ Turnerrecorded a career-high 141 receiving yards on seven catches, highlighted by a 58-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Turner has turned in consecutive games with touchdown grabs of over 50 yards after hauling in a 70-yard strike against TCU. It goes down as his second straight 100-yard game and third of the season.
•  Erik Ezukanmahas caught a touchdown in consecutive games for the first time in his young career. He followed up a four-catch, 91-yard performance against TCU with three catches for 69 yards against the Wildcats, including a 21-yard scoring strike in the third quarter.
•  Jordyn Brookssecured 6.0 tackles before leaving the game in the first quarter, raising his season tackle total to 104. His career total is now 363, which surpassed Cody Davis (2009-12) for eighth among Texas Tech’s career tackling leaders. He racked up two TFL early to raise his season total to 20.0, which is the most by a Red Raider since Adell Duckett set the school record with 24.5 in 2003.
•  Riko Jeffershas recorded a sack in three straight games and now has five in his career. He finished with two tackles for a loss, which gives him 8.5 on the year to surpass his 2018 total. Jeffers tallied seven tackles in the game to rank second on the team.
•  Xavier Bensonled the Red Raiders in tackles as he matched his career high with eight stops.
•  Trey Wolffwent 2-for-2 on field goals Saturday. He connected on a 44-yard attempt in the first half, one yard shy of matching his career long. He is now 4-of-6 from beyond 40 yards this season. He improved to 19-of-21 on the year with his 18th made field goal moving him into sole possession of second on Tech’s single-season list. He is now four back of tying Ryan Bustin’s school record from 2013.
•  Thomas Leggettrecorded a sack in the second quarter, his second of the season and second for his career. He finished with one sack and five total tackles.

Matt Dowdy