Kansas State Freezes Texas Tech, Keeps Bowl Hopes Alive
With temperatures in the low 30s and with winds reaching 18 miles per hour, you knew it was going to feel a lot like a Big Ten game rather than a Big 12 game. Well, by the look of the final score that turned out to be true. Were the defenses in this game that good or were the offenses just that bad? I’ll let you be the judge of that, but here is how the game shook out.
Once again, quarterback Jett Duffey got the start for Texas Tech and he was able to put together a nice opening drive that resulted in a field goal to go up 3-0. Tech continued the momentum when the Red Raiders defense stuffed the Wildcats on fourth and two from the Texas Tech 30-yard line. The next Texas Tech drive ended with another Clayton Hatfield field goal. Little did we know, Texas Tech wouldn’t score another point in this game.
Both teams traded punts and finally Kansas State was able to get on the scoreboard by way of a field goal to cut the Tech lead to just three points early in the second quarter. Then the two offenses traded punts another time, but then finally had our first touchdown of the ball game when Skylar Thompson hit Malik Knowles for an 8-yard TD pass. After the score, the Wildcats went into the halftime leading 10-6.
I thought Texas Tech would have some momentum early in the second half when the Red Raiders defense came up with another huge stop on fourth down when Kansas State went for it on fourth and short on the Tech 10-yard line. Once again, I was wrong because the Texas Tech offense went three and out. Things got worse as Kansas State was able to block the ensuing punt for a safety. The Wildcats got two points and the ball back. Yet again, the Red Raiders defense came up huge as they got a red zone turnover thanks to an Adrian Frye interception. Unfortunately for Tech, Jett Duffey fumbled two plays later and it cost them three points. By that point, Kansas State led 18-6 with just a little over ten minutes left to play.
The Wildcats tried to chew some clock and, in the process, added another field goal. Meanwhile, Texas Tech could never get a drive going and when quarterback McLane Carter entered the game, another fumble occurred, but it was due to a low snap and Kansas State went on to win 21-6 over Texas Tech.
From the get-go, Texas Tech struggle but the defense tried to keep the Red Raiders in the ball game. However, the offense couldn’t get out of its own way with several mistakes and turnovers. Give credit to the Kansas State defense for holding Texas Tech to just 31 rushing yards on the day and 181 total yards. For an offense that is averaging nearly 500 yards per game, these numbers are unheard of for a Kliff Kingsbury unit.
Kansas State didn’t do anything special in this game. The Wildcats simply played smart and were the more physical team, qualities Bill Snyder teams have always possessed, but mostly failed to this season. The Wildcats keep their bowl hopes alive as they move to 5-6 and will have to beat Iowa State on the road if they want to go bowling. Meanwhile, Texas Tech will drop their fourth straight game and fall to 5-6. They will play Baylor in Arlington next weekend as both teams are sitting one game under .500, with the winner reaching a bowl game.
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