LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Whether the No. 10 Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) are motivated from last year’s defeat or questions about its offensive production, Tech turned in it’s strongest offensive performance so far this season with a 53-25 blowout win over Arizona State (3-3, 1-2).
“I thought we had a great week, I thought this was one of the best weeks of practice that we’ve had. There was a sense of urgency, but also anger,” said Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire. “There’s a lot of people saying, ‘Hey, this doesn’t look like last year’s team. Well, it’s not last year’s team, but this team is still 6-0, and finding ways to win.”
The Red Raiders marched for 63 yards in their opening possession, before J’Koby Williams fumbled the ball on the Sun Devils’ 2-yard-line. The momentum shifted 76 seconds later when linebacker Ben Roberts, a team co-captain, returned a 24-yard interception for a touchdown- his first “pick six” of the season.
“When the ball’s in the air, it’s a big point that’s made during practice and throughout the week that we need to attack and we need to make plays on the balls,” Roberts said. “The ball is as much ours as it is theirs, so I think that the defense is doing a great job of attacking the ball and taking the message from practice to the game.”
From there, Tech accumulated 404 yards of total offense in the first half alone (502 in the game), and went into the locker room with a 43-10 lead which put the Red Raiders firmly in control.
Williams quickly shook off frustration from his opening-drive fumble, finishing with 173 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. The Beckville-native said he didn’t have time to think about his early miscue.
“The ball just popped out, it finally got me, but I had to get to what’s next,” he said. “I couldn’t really focus on that play anymore, it was already dead and I just got to what’s next and kept going.”
While taking on the role as the team’s No. 1 RB, in the absence of an injured Cameron Dickey, he rushed 11 times for 165 yards, including touchdown runs for 62 and 38 yards along with two receptions.
Will Hammond showcased his dual-threat ability Saturday when he ran in for a nine-yard touchdown, which followed Roberts’ interception, and threw for another one in the second quarter- an 11-yard strike to Coy Eakin, with 31 second left in the half. Hammond completed 18 of 26 passes for 232 yards, while also having six carries for 25 yards.
“I really do think this was a big game, like Will grew today as a quarterback, he really did. He did some things today extremely composed that I haven’t seen,” said Coach McGuire. “You see flashes, but I haven’t seen a half like that out of him and then our guys, they really pick each other up.”
Linebacker and Lubbock-native John Curry, who went viral two weeks ago in Colorado with a standing pick-six, had another interception in the final seconds of the half, setting up a Stone Harrington to successfully complete his third field goal attempt in the second quarter.
Tech’s final score came in the fourth quarter when tight end Terrance Carter, Jr. filled in at quarterback and ran in a one-yard keeper.
The Red Raiders will return to action when they face the Cincinnati Bearcats next Saturday at Nippert Stadium.
Tech could move up substantially in the polls, which will be released Sunday afternoon. No. 1 Georgia, No. 5 Indiana, No. 6 Alabama, and No. 7 Texas all suffered defeats on Saturday.
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