LUBBOCK, Texas — The Texas defense gave up 595 yards of total offense, but still managed to leave Jones AT&T Stadium with a 41-34 win over Texas Tech on Saturday night.
Sam Ehlinger threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns and broke the Big 12 record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception, previously held by Geno Smith of West Virginia. LJ Humphrey and Devin Duvernay each had two touchdown receptions for the Longhorns, who finished with 469 yards of team offense.
Texas Tech quarterback Jett Duffey had an efficient night in the air, throwing for 444 yards and 4 touchdowns. Duffey’s favorite target on the night, Antoine Wesley, caught 8 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
Texas Tech took control of the game early, scoring on their opening drive. Jett Duffey found TJ Vasher for a 5 yard touchdown to give the Red Raiders a 7-0 lead.
The Longhorns were forced to punt on their first offensive possession, but got the ball back on Tech’s next offensive possession, thanks to an interception by Davante Davis with 2:54 left in the first quarter.
Texas kicker Cameron Dicker would connect from a career-high 52 yards out with 13:56 left in the second quarter, cutting the Texas Tech lead to 7-3.
Scoring would go quiet until 3:46 before halftime, when Sam Ehlinger would find LJ Humphrey for a 9 yard touchdown reception, giving Texas a 10-7 lead. Texas running back Keaontay Ingram would extend the Texas lead to 17-7 on a 2-yard run with 1:16 left before halftime.
Texas Tech kicker Clayton Hatfield connected from 41 yards out to send the Red Raiders into the locker room trailing Texas 17-10.
After converting a 4th down to extend a drive early in the 3rd quarter, Ehlinger hit Devin Duvernay from a yard out to extend the Texas lead to 24-10.
Cameron Dicker made good on his second field goal of the night, this time from 46 yards out, to increase the lead to 27-10 for Texas.
Jett Duffey heated up in the 4th quarter for the Red Raiders, throwing his first of three touchdowns in the quarter to Antoine Wesley. Devin Duvernay answered for Texas, hauling in a 39 yard pass from Sam Ehlinger to give Texas a 34-17 lead.
After Clayton Hatfield’s 36 yard field goal with 6:23 remaining in the game, Texas Tech would recover a perfectly executed onside kick. Duffey then threw two consecutive touchdown passes to T.J. Vasher and Antoine Wesley, respectively, tying the game up at 34-34 with 1:45 left in the game.
Sam Ehlinger led his team downfield without looking back, culminating the drive with a 29 yard pass to LJ Humphrey, his 2nd of the night.
The Longhorns matched their win total from last season at 7 wins, and won their 5th straight game in Lubbock.
Texas will host Iowa State next Saturday at Darrell K. Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.
