Texas Tech Offense Excels Against Oklahoma State

Mike Gundy certainly did not hold anything back in the home finale in Stillwater. Oklahoma State looked more like the team many expected them to be. Of course, that was more about how poorly the Red Raider’s defense played (more on them later). But, the Texas Tech offense had its best day in Big 12 play while the Cowboys remain winless in the Big 12.  The Red Raiders held on against the Cowboys by a score of 56-48.

Brooks wasn’t the only member of the Texas Tech offense that played well. The entire receiving corps for the Red Raiders made plays from beginning to end. Quarterback Behren Morton completed 35 of his 50 passes to eight different receivers for 366 yards and four touchdowns. When the running back and quarterback lead the offense to 49 points and 543 yards of total offense, it also means that the offensive coordinator had a great day calling plays.

Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, who has earned his fair share of criticism throughout this season, seemed to have the answers all day. Early on, it appeared the offense might stall out after the scripted drives were completed. That has been one of the biggest criticisms against Kittley this year. But he, just like the entire Texas Tech offense, regrouped right before halftime. They would score touchdowns for their next three possessions and five of their next six.

Red Raider Defense Was MIA

As great as the Texas Tech offense was today in Stillwater, the defense is going to have a long day studying this film. In total, they allowed Oklahoma State to move the ball for 508 yards of total offense. But what was concerning was all of the big plays that they allowed to an offense led by a true freshman quarterback making his first career start. Quarterback Maealiuaki Smith had a very respectable starting debut going 26-for-36 for 326 yards and two touchdowns. It also turns out Ollie Gordon didn’t completely forget how to rush the football either. Gordon tried to match Brooks’ performance with 156 rushes on 15 carries and three touchdowns.

But the most troubling part of the game was how the defense got worse as the game progressed. IN the first half, Texas Tech forced Oklahoma State to punt the ball on four of their possessions. However, in the second half, Oklahoma State’s punter never made an appearance. The Pokes did more to stop themselves than the Red Raider defense did as they missed a field goal attempt and had two turnovers.

Key Plays Of The Game

As back and forth as this game was, it saved the biggest moments for the fourth quarter when the teams combined for 41 points. But with the score at 35-35, it was as if the Red Raiders had some sort of rallying lights shining in the Stillwater fall night that guided them to the victory. Facing a fourth-and-one from Oklahoma State’s 40-yard line, Brooks took a direct snap and scampered untouched down the sidelines (except for the high five he shared with Jalin Conyers on the five-yard line before he crossed into the endzone). Later, when the teams kept trading touchdowns, those rallying lights must have blinded the Oklahoma State center with 4:45 left in the game.

The Cowboys center sailed the snap over Smith’s head and Jacob Rodriguez recovered it in the endzone for a touchdown. But the biggest play of the game occurred when the scarlet and black lights were shining the brightest. With 1:53 left in the game (and Oklahoma State inexplicably getting its timeout back), Texas Tech faced a third-and-eleven on their nine-yard line. Kittley dialed up a quarterback-designed run for Morton and he somehow danced his way for 12 yards for a critical first down. It allowed the Red Raiders to bleed to clock to 20 seconds before punting the ball back to Oklahoma State. Smith proceeded to throw an interception on the next play to Rodriguez to end the game.