Final Wrap: Texas Tech 38, West Virginia 17

TEXAS TECH POSTGAME NOTES

GETTING STARTED

• Weather at Kickoff: high of 45, mostly sunny, wind SSW at 7 mph
• Today’s game was televised nationally on ESPN2.
• Today’s game marked the ninth all-time meeting between Texas Tech and West Virginia.
• West Virginia won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Tech is 6-3 in the pregame coin flip this year.
• Texas Tech wore its white/white/white combination for the first time this season. The Red Raiders move to 10-5 when wearing this combination.
• Today’s game captains were Douglas Coleman (DB), Riko Jeffers (LB), SaRodorick Thompson (RB) and Jax Welch (RB).
• Today’s attendance: 56,573

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) Dalton Rigdon; (Defense) – (DE) Eli Howard, (T) Broderick Washington, Jr., (N) Jaylon Hutchings, (Raider) Xavier Benson, (Spur) Adrian Frye, (LB) Riko Jeffers, (LB) Jordyn Brooks, (S) Thomas  Leggett, (CB) DaMarcus Fields, (CB) Zech McPhearson, (S) Douglas Coleman III.

TEXAS TECH’S WIN…

• Gives Texas Tech a 4-5 overall record and 2-4 mark in Big 12 play.
• Gives Texas Tech a 3-6 all-time record against West Virginia, including a 2-2 mark in Morgantown.
• Gives Texas Tech a 3-5 record against West Virginia during the Big 12 era.
• Gives Matt Wells a 48-39 record all-time as a head coach.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 4-5 at Texas Tech.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 1-0 against West Virginia.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 8-1 in games immediately following an open week.

TEXAS TECH TEAM NOTES

•   Texas Tech topped 30 points against West Virginia for the sixth time in eight matchups since the Mountaineers entered the Big 12 Conference.
•   Texas Tech opened the game by marching 72 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown. It marked the third time Tech has driven for a touchdown on its first offensive possession this season and the first time since week two against UTEP. Tech went on to score touchdowns on its first five offensive possessions for the first time since 2016 against Louisiana Tech. Tech carried a 35-10 lead into the break, its most points in a first half since putting up 35 at Kansas in 2017 in a 65-19 victory.
•    Texas Tech jumped out to a 21-3 lead after the first quarter and are now outscoring opponents, 72-27, over the first 15 minutes. The Red Raiders put up 205 passing yards and 234 total yards in the first period alone, its highest passing total for an opening period since posting 230 at No. 10 TCU in 2014 and its most yards in a first quarter since 298 vs. Kansas state in 2015.
• The Texas Tech defense got off to another strong start, allowing just three points in the opening quarter and forcing a pair of turnovers. Through nine games, Texas Tech has only allowed two teams to find pay dirt in the first quarter. With two forced turnovers in the first stanza, Tech has come away with first-quarter takeaways in four of the last five games.
•   This was the fourth game this season Tech has forced three or more turnovers and its second with at least four. Texas Tech has forced 17 turnovers in the last seven games (and for the season), including nine interceptions in the last five games alone. The Red Raiders entered this weekend ranked tied for 20th in the FBS and tied for the Big 12 lead in takeaways. The Red Raiders also entered this weekend plus-six in turnover margin during Big 12 play, which led all league teams.
•   The Tech defense also held West Virginia to 1-of-5 on fourth downs, including three fourth down stops inside Texas Tech territory.
•   Dalton Rigdon’s 81-yard touchdown catch from Jett Duffey in the first quarter set several benchmarks. It marked the longest play of the year by a Red Raider, the longest pass play of Duffey’s career, the longest reception of Rigdon’s career and the quickest touchdown drive (0:10) of the season. It was also the first reception of 80 or more yards since the 2015 finale against Baylor when Keke Coutee had one of 80 yards and Quan Shorts had an 81-yard haul.
•   Texas Tech’s SaRodorick Thompson and Ta’Zhawn Henry both rushed for two touchdowns on Saturday becoming the first duo to do so since Patrick Mahomes II and Davis Webb both tallied two rushing scores against UTEP in 2015.
•    Texas Tech has now scored in 289-straight games dating back to the 1997 season, a streak that now ranks ninth nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference.

NOTING THE RED RAIDERS

•   Douglas Coleman IIIpicked off his FBS-leading eighth interception of the season to start the game, moving him into a tie for second all-time in Texas Tech single-season history alongside John Thompson (1951) and Tracy Saul (1989 and 1991). The interception was also the 11th of his career, pushing him into a tie for eighth in program history with Ryan Aycock (2000-03). Coleman, who was the only power-five player with more than five interceptions entering this weekend, added six tackles from his spot at safety.
•   Jett Duffeyput together another strong performance in his fifth start of the year, going 24-for-34 passing for 354 yards and a touchdown. It was his third game this season with at least 350 yards and the fourth of his career. He threw for 271 yards in the first half, his best total in his career. He drilled Dalton Rigdon with an 81-yard touchdown in the first quarter for the longest pass play of his career and longest play by a Red Raider this season. He also added 34 rushing yards.
•   Jordyn Brooks’11 tackles today moved the senior within seven tackles from a tie for eighth all-time on the Texas Tech career chart, held by Cody Davis (2009-12). Brooks now has 357 over his career. It was his sixth game with double-digit tackles this season with 2.5 going for a loss to bring his tackle-for-loss total to 18.0 on the year, matching the most by a Red Raider in a season since Brandon Sharpe had 18.0 in 2009.
•   Ta’Zhawn Henrydoubled his 2019 rushing touchdown total in the first quarter alone, scoring twice to help Tech establish a 21-3 lead early on.  It was the third multi-touchdown effort for his career and increased his career rushing touchdown total to 11. He posted a game-high 67 rushing yards on 22 carries to mark his first time this season leading the Red Raiders in rushing.
•   SaRodorick Thompsontallied yet another two-touchdown performance on Saturday, his fourth multi-touchdown game of the season and fifth of his career. The redshirt freshman has found the end zone 10 times already this season and 13 times over his career. He finished with 11 carries for 27 yards.
• DaMarcus Fields recorded an interception in the end zone and returned it 34 yards for the Red Raiders in the second half. It marked his fourth career inteception and third of the season. He also set a career high in the game with two tackles for a loss while recording nine tackles to rank second on the team.
•  Riko Jeffersgot to the quarterback on a WVU fourth down attempt for his first sack and first forced fumble of the season. He would later record his second forced fumble of the game that would put the Red Raiders deep in WVU territory. He now has three sacks and four forced fumbles for his career.
•  Eli Howardsecured his second career fumble recovery and first this season on the strip from Jeffers. He later came up with a sack in the second half to raise his sack total to 4.5 on the year and 13.5 for his career.
•  Dalton Rigdonwas on the receiving end of his fourth touchdown reception of the season in the first quarter as he and Duffey connected on an 81-yard strike. The touchdown was the longest play for Texas Tech this season and the longest catch of his career. He posted a career-high 106 receiving yards on his three catches, his first 100-yard effort and the third by a Red Raider this season.
•  Trey Wolffconnected on a field goal from 24 yards out to improve to an impressive 15-of-17 on field goals this season. He pulls into a tie with the trio of Brian Hall (1976), Scott Segrist (1988) and Alex Trilica (2006) for ninth in Texas Tech single-season history.

Matt Dowdy