LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — J’Koby Williams returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and took a short pass 26 yards for a score on Texas Tech’s first play, jump-starting the No. 14 Red Raiders’ 42-0 victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Jacob Rodriguez returned a fumble 69 yards for a TD as Texas Tech (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) bounced back from its first loss, a 26-22 defeat at 24th-ranked Arizona State that dropped the Red Raiders out of the top 10. It was Texas Tech’s first home Big 12 shutout since beating Baylor 28-0 in 2005.
After lightning delayed the start for 30 minutes, Williams’ return came on the first kickoff since school officials banned the yearslong tradition of fans throwing tortillas on kickoffs.
The Red Raiders were penalized twice on kickoffs in their previous home game for objects thrown on the field in violation of a rule the Big 12 approved in August. There didn’t appear to be be any tortillas near Williams as he took off on his return.
“I am so proud of our fans and and Red Raider Nation for, one, believing in this team and doing what we needed to do to help this team win,” said coach Joey McGuire, who harshly chastised fans for throwing tortillas after the two penalties in a 41-17 victory over Kansas. “That’s the second game in a row, you look over at the student section, those towels are going crazy.”
Texas Tech blocked a punt on the first possession for the Cowboys (1-7, 0-5), leading to Williams’ TD on a screen from Will Hammond, who started a second consecutive game in place of the injured Behren Morton.
Third-stringer Mitch Griffis replaced Hammond in the second quarter after Hammond sustained what McGuire said was a knee injury without contact during a run.
Morton changed from street clothes to his uniform at halftime with the Red Raiders leading 28-0 but only had to watch as Griffis threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score in the third quarter.
Oklahoma State was limited to 182 yards in a seventh consecutive loss since beating lower-division Tennessee-Martin in the opener. The Cowboys have three shutout losses of at least 42 points since 2022.
“There’s a lot of reasons why they can just quit, and they’re not,” interim Oklahoma State coach Doug Meacham said after his fifth game since longtime coach Mike Gundy was fired. “I’m just so proud of them. We gave them 21 points. If we score a little bit without those three plays there, it’s a ballgame.”
Rodriguez’s 11th career fumble recovery — second among active FBS players — never touched the ground. The senior linebacker ripped the ball out of the arms of Sesi Vailahi in the middle of the line of scrimmage and ran untouched for the score.
The Takeaway
The Cowboys are searching for solutions at quarterback in a second consecutive lost season. Sam Jackson V made his third start as the third different starter after opening the season at receiver. He was replaced by Noah Walters, who didn’t join the team until after the 69-3 loss to Oregon in Week 2.
Up Next
Oklahoma State will be at Kansas next Saturday.
