Texas Tech football won their third nonconference game of the season in a dominating 54-21 win over Florida International.
Coming off a close 28-22 victory over Stephen F. Austin, the Red Raiders dominated on all sides of the ball to get to 3-0 as they prepare for Big-12 play.
Tech Defense Provides a Spark
FIU struck first when running back D’Vonta Price plunged into the endzone to cap an 88-yard drive to give the Panthers a 7-0 first quarter lead.
Later in the first, FIU recovered a loose ball off the hands of punt returner Adrian Frye.
One play later, defensive back Marquis “Muddy” Waters intercepted a pass from FIU quarterback Max Bortenschlager, and returned it 72-yards to give Tech its first touchdown of the evening.
Tech Offense Dominates the Second Quarter
On their first possession of the second quarter, quarterback Tyler Shough hit wide receiver Kaylon Geiger down the sideline for a 52-yard gain.
Shough found tight end Travis Koontz on a 4-yard touchdown pass to give the Red Raiders a 14-7 lead.
After an FIU touchdown tied the game, Tech only needed three plays to answer. Shough found receiver Dalton Rigdon for a 59-yard gain that set up running back SaRodorick Thompson to power into the endzone putting the Red Raiders up 21-14.
On their next possession, Shough hit receiver Trey Cleveland in the back of the endzone for a 28-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 28-14.
Right before halftime, Shough found Koontz again on a 1-yard touchdown pass to give the Red Raiders a 35-14 lead heading into the break.
Shough’s Fourth Touchdown Pass Ices the Game
Late in the third quarter, FIU tried to get back in the game when receiver Nate Jefferson caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Bortenschlager to cut the Tech lead to 38-21.
With under a minute left in the third quarter, tight end Mason Tharp made a one-handed catch and ran it in for a 25-yard touchdown giving the Red Raiders an insurmountable 44-21 lead heading into the fourth.
The Offense Spreads the Ball Around
Head coach Matt Wells said Tyler Shough did a good job going through his progressions and spreading the ball around.
“I certainly think that Tyler did a nice job of just going through his reads,” Wells said. “We got a lot of receivers that got their first catch tonight so it’s a big night for a lot of our guys.”
Shough said the receivers did a nice job of getting open.
“It was just part of the progression,” Shough said, “guys were getting open, traditionally in the past couple games EZ [Eric Ezukanma] was getting open and sometimes he was the first read so I’m not going to pass him up and vice versa.”
Shough hit 11 different targets against Florida International.
Next for Texas Tech
The Red Raiders finish nonconference play at a perfect 3-0. Next, the team will travel to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns in their first Big 12 matchup.
Stats
- Tyler Shough set career-highs in passing yards (399) and touchdowns (4).
- Kaylon Geiger paced the teams receiving with 121 yards on 6 receptions.
- Travis Koontz scored 2 touchdowns on 6 receptions for 53 yards.
- FIU running back D’vonta Price had 15 carries for 51 yards and a score.
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