BOULDER, Colo. (KCBD) – For the fourth week in a row, the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) relied on a strong second-half performance, shutting down the Colorado Buffaloes (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) in a 29-7 win at Folsom Field.
Minutes into the game, Colorado took an early 7-0 lead when Buffalo QB Isaac Wilson connected with WR Joseph Williams in the end zone for an eight-yard score. From there, CU’s offense was largely non-functional for the rest of the night, and the Red Raiders ended the game with 29 unanswered points.
In spite of the slow start, Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire says he’s proud of the way his coaches and players keep finding ways to win week after week.
“We created four turnovers and we dropped another three interceptions, but it’s just finding a way to win the game, that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to get better, we’re trying to start cleaner,” he said. “We’re trying to do all that, but at the end of the day, the last thing I tell the coaches when we are staff meetings is whatever game we have going on, then we adapt to that game and we find a way to win the game and that’s what these guys have done. We’re sitting here 5-0 and we’re 2-0, and in conference play that was huge.”
After Tech responded to Colorado’s opening touchdown with a 52-yard field goal from Stone Harrington, the score remained 7-3 until Harrington completed another attempt from 27 yards out with 9:09 remaining in the third quarter, pulling the Red Raiders within one point. This was made possible with an interception made by Tech’s defensive back Brice Pollock at the Colorado 31.
“It was great. Playing cornerback is a lot of mental battles. Once I got over that hump, that’s what Coach (Darcel) McBath said it’s pretty much me versus me,” Pollock said. He also made his two picks in front of relatives who traveled a great distance to see him play.
“They come as much as they can. They’re from Atlanta, so when they get to come, I really love it,” he said. “I had twenty tickets all the way from Atlanta, Ga., so that meant the world to me.”
On the Buffaloes’ ensuing drive, Tech safety Malik Esquerra made his first career interception at an opportune time, picking off Wilson on the Texas Tech 21. The Red Raiders then marched downfield and found the end zone when Tech quarterback Will Hammond found tight end Terrance Carter, Jr. from 11 yards out, giving the Red Raiders a 12-7 lead, their first of the night.
Carter, who has already missed two games this year because of injury, was a difference-maker for the Red Raiders. In addition to his third-quarter touchdown, he also led with eight catches for 67 yards. Coach McGuire says having Carter back was key, considering the impact he makes both on and off the field.
“That’s one thing whenever you have a really good tidy and like Terrance. He becomes such a security blanket for the quarterback, and he’s one of the best tight ends in the country. He came up big tonight. It was great to have him back because he also has great leadership,” he said.
Pollock landed his second pick late in the third quarter, deep in Buffalo territory at the Colorado 21, which led to a 27-yard chip shot from Harrington. Tech went up 15-7.
That was his final field goal attempt of the night, and Tech was finally able to score two more touchdowns from there. With 7:10 left to play, CU was pinned at its own one-yard line, after a 60-yard punt from Will Karrol. On the very next play, linebacker John Curry, also a Coronado alum picked off Wilson while standing in the end zone, and Tech went in front 22-7.
“The one thing John Curry did a great job on was the pick in the end zone,” McGuire said. “Whenever you’re backed up, you’re going to get a hard count, you’re getting direct runs, or you’re getting spread out. The quarterback is going to move the pocket and the last thing that Sheil (Wood, Tech defensive coordinator) said to him is to be ready for a sprint out, and John was the edge of the defense. It seems right there to make a huge, huge play.”
“I definitely thought they were running the ball there, just because of where they were at on the field, so I beat the block, or what I thought was the block, and the quarterback’s holding the ball staring right at me. I jumped up and he threw it straight to me! It’s pretty awesome, though!,” Curry said.
The Red Raiders’ final score came with three minutes left to play. Running back Quentin Joyner broke free for a 30-yard touchdown, Tech’s final score of the night, also Joyner’s first score since the opening drive of the Abilene Christian game on Sept. 5.
While Tech’s defense turned in its strongest performance so far this season, there are still lingering questions surrounding the offense. Running back Cameron Dickey left the game early in the second quarter, following a left ankle injury. During the post-game news conference, McGuire said Dickey’s x-ray has been negative.
While Hammond avoided throwing any picks, he completed 17-of-26 passes for 134 yards, which led to three punts and four field goal attempts. Running back J’Koby Williams led with 17 carries for 88 yards.
Coach McGuire said even though the team started slow Saturday night in Boulder, it’s still better than what he’s seen in the team’s first four games this year.
“I didn’t think we started as bad as we have really the first four games. I think because we saw everything in that first drive by Colorado, I thought we really started OK, but I’m just finding ways to start better,” McGuire said. “We’re going to respond to whatever the game is. We’re going to try to find a way to win it.”
The Red Raiders will be off next week, before returning home to face Arizona State in a homecoming rematch of last year’s 26-22 loss, their only defeat of the regular season.
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