No. 12 Texas Tech turned a tight game into a turnover avalanche Saturday in Boulder, riding four interceptions to a 29-7 win over Colorado.
The Red Raiders were down 7-3 at halftime, but the third quarter flipped everything. Colorado’s first three possessions of the period all ended the same way, with Texas Tech interceptions helping erase the deficit and seize control. By the end of the night, the Red Raiders had a 4-0 edge in turnovers and had stretched their record to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play.
John Curry delivered the biggest swing of the game when he came off the edge with 7:10 left and picked off Isaac Wilson in the end zone for a touchdown, pushing Texas Tech ahead 22-7. Brice Pollock had two interceptions, including the one that sparked the Red Raiders’ first turnover. Malik Esquerra added the other pick.
That first takeaway came after Colorado tried a trick play from its own 13-yard line. Joseph Williams threw the pass, and Pollock intercepted it. Stone Harrington finished the drive with a 27-yard field goal to trim the margin to 7-6 with 9:09 remaining in the third quarter.
Esquerra then stepped in to end Colorado’s next series, and Texas Tech cashed it in quickly. Will Hammond found Terrance Carter Jr. for an 11-yard touchdown with 3:01 left in the third, giving the Red Raiders their first lead at 12-7. Pollock’s second interception followed, and Harrington turned that one into a 46-yard field goal for a 15-7 cushion.
Hammond finished with 134 passing yards and a touchdown, while J’Koby Williams ran for 88 yards and Quinten Joyner added a touchdown run. Carter caught the scoring pass, and Joyner closed things out with a 30-yard touchdown run with 3:06 remaining.
Wilson threw for 290 yards on 26-of-44 passing, with one touchdown and three interceptions. His scoring pass went 8 yards to Joseph Williams at the 10:29 mark of the first quarter, giving Colorado the opening points. Joseph Williams finished with 10 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, and he also threw the interception on the trick play.
Texas Tech responded early with a 52-yard Harrington field goal at 7:05 in the first quarter, and that was the start of a night where the Red Raiders kept hanging around until the game finally cracked open in the third.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Fans Stumbled Onto A Colorado Mystery Before Kickoff
Texas Tech supporters got an unexpected glimpse behind the curtain before kickoff when a 25-page Colorado game plan playbook was reportedly found at the Buffaloes' team hotel. The document appeared authentic and, according to the report, lined up with plays Colorado actually used in the game, turning what might have been a routine pregame footnote into a curious subplot around the matchup.
The game itself only deepened the intrigue for the Red Raiders, who watched Colorado struggle through a 29-7 loss marked by turnovers and interceptions. After a third straight defeat, Deion Sanders pointed to problems inside the program and said the Buffaloes will open up the quarterback competition during the bye week, leaving plenty of questions for a team trying to steady itself. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Escapes One Cameron Dickey Fear But Another Question Looms
Texas Tech got one encouraging bit of news out of Cameron Dickeys ankle injury from the Colorado game when X-rays came back negative, easing fears of anything catastrophic. Head coach Joey McGuire said the back is likely dealing with a high ankle sprain, but the timing of the Red Raiders open week gives the staff at least a chance to see if Dickey can work back in time for Arizona State.
Even with Dickey sidelined, Quenten Joyner handled a bigger workload and made his presence felt in the win over Colorado. That keeps Texas Tech from feeling completely exposed if Dickey needs more time, but it also leaves a familiar question hanging over the next stretch: how much of the offense will be available when the Red Raiders return to the field? [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Just Entered A Much Bigger Ranking Conversation
Texas Techs convincing 29-7 win over Colorado did more than just keep the momentum rolling, it pushed the Red Raiders up the national board in a way that starts to change the conversation around them. The latest polls rewarded the performance, with Tech moving to No. 11 in the AP Poll and No. 9 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, a climb that reflects how firmly this team has settled into the upper tier of the rankings.
The larger picture around the AP Top 25 only sharpens the context, with Texas holding No. 1 for a fourth straight week and Missouri making a notable leap to No. 14 after beating Florida. Pittsburgh also found its way into the poll at No. 25, while Kentucky fell out, but for the Red Raiders the bigger question now is how long they can keep climbing before the schedule forces a tougher test of just how real this ranking surge is. [Read more 🡒]