Final Wrap: Texas Tech 45, No. 21 Oklahoma State 35

TEXAS TECH POSTGAME NOTES

GETTING STARTED

• Weather at Kickoff: 77 degrees, sunny, SW wind at 17 mph
• Today’s game was televised nationally on FS1.
• Today’s game marked the 47th all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
• Texas Tech won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Tech is 4-1 on coin tosses this year and improves to 3-0 when deferring the opening kickoff.
• Texas Tech wore black helmets, red tops and black pants for the first time this season. It improves to 8-3 in this combination since 2009.
• Today’s game captains were Broderick Washington (DL), Jordyn Brooks (LB), Thomas Leggett (DB) and Erik Ezukanma (WR).
• Today’s attendance: 56,479

ROSTER NOTES

• Quarterback Jett Duffey received his first start of the season and fourth in his career in place of the injured Alan Bowman.
• Safety Adrian Frye, who started the first four games of the year, did not suit up Saturday. Freshman Dadrion Taylor received his first career start in his place.
• Freshman defensive lineman Tony Bradford Jr. also made his first career start.
• Freshman defensive back Alex Hogan made his Red Raider debut, playing extensively and collecting a pass-break-up.
• Senior Terence Steele started at right guard for the first time in his career, sliding over from right tackle for the injured Jack Anderson.
• Sophomore Casey Verhulst started at right tackle for the third time this season.

Starters – (Offense) – (LT) Travis Bruffy, (LG) Madison Akomnonu, (C) Dawson Deaton, (RG) Terence  Steele (RT) Casey Verhulst, (QB) Jett Duffey, (RB) Armand Shyne, (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., (LB) Riko Jeffers, (LB) Jordyn Brooks, (Spur) Thomas Leggett, (LC) DeMarcus Fields, (RC) Zech McPhearson, (RS) Douglas Coleman III, (LS) Dadrion Taylor.

TEXAS TECH’S WIN…

• Gives Texas Tech a 3-2 overall record.
• Gives Texas Tech an 1-1 Big 12 record.
• Gives Texas Tech a 23-21-3 all-time record against Oklahoma State, including 13-7-2 in Lubbock.
• Gives Texas Tech a 15-9 record in Big 12 home openers all-time.
• Gives Matt Wells a career record of 3-2 at Texas Tech.
• Gives Matt Wells a 47-36 record all-time as a head coach.

TEXAS TECH TEAM NOTES

• Texas Tech claimed its first ranked win at home since TCU in 2013.
• Texas Tech topped Oklahoma State for the second year in a row and beat the Pokes at home for the first time since 2008.
• Tech forced five turnovers in a game for the first time since Houston in 2017.
• Tech forced five turnovers in a Big 12 game for the first time since Kansas in 2008.
• Tech’s seven sacks marked its most since 2009 against Kansas and was one off the school record.
• Tech’s 14 tackles for loss match its most since 2000 (Rice, 2009).
• The defense set a season high in the first quarter alone with nine tackles for loss.
• Texas Tech has now forced a turnover in three-straight games, including three or more turnovers in two of the last three games.
• The Texas Tech defense has not only opened with a three-and-out in 4-of-5 games, but shut out its opponent in the first quarter in 4-of-5 games.
• At home this season, Tech is averaging 5.0 penalties per game for 49.7 yards.
• Eleven different receivers caught a pass on Saturday with six who had multiple receptions. It’s the third game this year Tech has hit 11+ receivers.
• Tech’s 94-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter was its longest of the season.
• Texas Tech moved to 3-1 when its scores first under head coach Matt Wells.
• Texas Tech is now 2-1 in day games, 3-0 at home for the first time since 2016, and 3-0 under Wells when leading at the half.
• Texas Tech has now scored in 275-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

OFFENSE

• Jett Duffeyaccounted for a career-high five touchdowns on Saturday, one rushing and four through the air. He threw for a season-high 424 yards, his second career 400-yard game. He went 26-of-44 overall with his 44 passing attempts three off his career high. He also added five rushes for 16 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown run.
• T.J. Vasherhauled in his 16th career touchdown grab and third of the season. He finished with five catches for 110 yards and the score for his 21st straight game with a catch. It marked his third career 100-yard game (2017 vs. West Virginia, 2018 vs. Texas).
• Erik Ezukanmamade his longest career reception on a 56-yard touchdown strike from Duffey. It was his second career touchdown. He finished with a career high with 92 receiving yards on three catches.
• Donta Thompsonset career marks with five catches for 46 yards.
• KeSean Cartercaught his second career touchdown, his first since at Oklahoma State last season.
• Dalton Rigdonfound the endzone on an 8-yard pass from Duffey. It marked his second touchdown catch of the season.
• Ta’Zhawn Henryaccounted for a season-high 91 yards of offense with 50 on the ground and a season-high 41 through the air.

DEFENSE

• Jordyn Brookspiled up a career-high three TFL for the second week in a row to give him 9.5 in just five games, setting a career high for TFL in a season. He matched his career high with 18 tackles (2018 Baylor), his fifth double-digit tackle effort in the last six games. His 18 tackles and three tackles for loss marked the most in a conference game this season.
• Douglas Colemanrecorded his fourth interception in the last three games, which put him in the national lead. He now has seven for his career. He is the fourth Red Raider dating back to 2000 with four interceptions in the first five games of the season.
• Thomas Leggettset a career high in tackles for the second straight week with nine.
• Nelson Mbanasortallied his first career sack on Saturday.
• DeMarcus Fieldssecured his second career interception, his first since 2017.
• Zech McPhearsonhas recorded a season-high six tackles in three-straight games.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Trey Wolffconnected on 3-of-4 field goals Saturday with makes of 27, 38 and 26 yards. He started 2-for-2 on Saturday to become the first Red Raider dating back through 2000 to make his first seven field goal attempts.

• Jordyn Brooks snapped his career high with four tackles for a loss, giving him 10.5 now in only five games, which sets a new career high for TFL in a season. He also broke his career high with 19 tackles, topping his previous mark of 18 to close the 2018 season against Baylor. It marked his fifth double-digit tackle effort in the last six games dating back to that Baylor game. His 19 tackles, three sacks and four TFL all matched the most by a Big 12 player this season. He is the only Big 12 player to share the league high in all three single-game categories, though. In addition, Brooks’ 19 tackles marked the most by a Red Raider since Lawrence Flugence totaled 21 at Iowa State in 2002.
• Douglas Coleman III recorded his fourth and fifth interception in the last three games, which should place him in the national lead following this weekend. He now has eight for his career. He is the only Red Raider to pick off five passes through the first five games of a season dating back to the start of the 2000 season.

Matt Dowdy