by Will Lanigan
Coming off a homecoming blowout at the hands of the TCU Horned Frogs, the Texas Tech football team traveled to Lawrence, Kansas, with much to prove.
It wouldn’t take long for the Red Raiders to start the scoring off hot.
First Half Explosion
Less than five minutes in the game, senior quarterback Henry Colombi ran it himself into the end zone for a touchdown.
The teams swapped interceptions, and a Jonathan Garibay field goal brought the score to 10-0.
Junior wide receiver Erik Ezukanma and sophomore receiver Myles Price each ran the ball for touchdowns, and the Red Raiders took a 24-0 lead into the intermission.
Second Half Cruise
After halftime, freshman quarterback Donovan Smith added a touchdown run of his own to extend Tech’s lead to 31-0, and the game was never in doubt.
In the last minute of the game, a touchdown pass from Kansas senior quarterback Miles Kendrick to sophomore wide receiver Luke Grimm, a fumble by the Red Raider offense, and another Kendrick passing touchdown made the final score 41-14.
Tech’s defense has not pitched a shutout since a 28-0 win in Waco, Texas, over the Baylor Bears in October 2005.
Nonetheless, the win over Kansas on Saturday was a very encouraging win for Red Raider fans everywhere.
Postgame Quotes
In his postgame press conference, Tech head coach Matt Wells said that while he was disappointed the Red Raiders were ultimately unable to close out the shutout, he was nonetheless excited with the effort.
He gave credit to Tech defensive coordinator Keith Patterson and the entire Tech defense for playing well despite injuries on that side of the ball.
Wells said he was very pleased to have junior defensive back Reggie Pearson back from injury.
“[Pearson] brings a physical presence in the secondary,” Wells said. “I thought he played well.”
Up Next: Kansas State
The Red Raiders (5-2 overall, 2-2 in Big 12 play) come home looking to win back-to-back conference games for the first time since 2018 and for the first time in the Matt Wells era.
Kickoff at Jones AT&T Stadium against the Kansas State Wildcats (3-3, 0-3) is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, and the game will be televised on FS1.
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