Football Game Recap: Texas Tech Red Raiders

This had all the makings of a great game as the Ducks arrived in Lubbock for a showdown with the Red Raiders. Oregon was coming off a record-setting performance vs a clearly overmatched Portland State. Texas Tech was looking to bounce back from a double overtime loss to Wyoming that saw them jump out to a 17-0 lead to start. The Ducks would be facing the former signal caller that led them to a 2020 Pac 12 Championship, their former Defensive Coordinator, and even the Fox broadcast featured former Oregon Coach Mark Helfrich.

Texas Tech won the toss but deferred, giving the dangerous Duck offense the first shot. Oregon was forced to punt after a drive featuring Bucky Irving racking up yards but the passing game failed to connect. The Red Raiders answered with an 85 yard scoring drive that featured Shough trotting up the field for 58 yards on the third play from scrimmage. Oregon answered almost instantly when Bo Nix connected on a 72 yard catch and run to Troy Franklin to tie the game at 7. Texas Tech was forced out when their next drive went for -2 yards. Nix kept up the gunslinging on the next drive hitting Noah Whittington for 31 yards, Traeshon Holden for 22, and the scoring strike to Tez Johnson for 13. A successful 2 pt conversion featured a familiar sight to duck fans: a completed pass from a player named Herbert. Patrick Hebert hit fellow tight end Terrence Ferguson to put the Ducks up 15-7. Interesting to note that after landing 1^st and goal on the opposing 2, Oregon was backed up by a pair of offensive penalties. Self-inflicted wounds by the Ducks would be a problem for much of the game.

The Red Raiders would answer on their next drive going 75 yards. A pair of pass interference calls on the Duck secondary would help the opposing offence stay on the field before Shough would hit Mason Tharp for the score. A failed 2 point try left the score 15-13. The next 3 possessions all ended in punts as both defenses stepped up (and Oregon suffered a false start on each of their 3-and-outs). Oregon punter Ross James boomed a 63-yard punt from his own endzone, but a 33-yard return set the Red Raiders up at the Oregon 35. A 4^th down converting pass to Jerand Bradley had Texas Tech in the red zone where back-to-back runs by Shough put the ball at the Oregon 12. Then the Ducks crashed the line, and a strip-sack fumble was recovered by Brandon Dorlus. Oregon would take the ball 58 yards before settling for a field goal. Texas Tech would again convert a third down thanks to an Oregon penalty, but the 56-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left, and the half ended with the Ducks up 18-13.

After the break, Texas Tech came out throwing and was immediately helped by another defensive pass interference. 5 plays later Shough ran it in to put his team up 18-20. Oregon’s ensuing drive opened with another false start and netted -1 yards before a partially blocked punt gave the Red Raders the ball at the Oregon 41. The Duck defense answered with an interception on the first play of the drive. The Ducks would convert a 3^rd down on a 16-yard run by Nix followed by a 30-yard strike to Ferguson. A 9 more yards by Nix and it was 2^nd and 1 at the Texas Tech 17. Three straight runs would go for no gain as the Ducks turned it over on downs. It would only take 3 pass plays for the Red Raiders to go 83 yards and take a 18-27 lead.

Nix would complete 8 passes on the next drive before Bucky Irving punched in the score from 3 yards out to make the score 25-27. The Red Raiders would turn it over after failing to convert a 4^th and 2. A duck field goal would be the first of three traded by the teams that put the score 31-30 in favor of Oregon as the Red Raiders offense took the field with 1:10 left in the game. A pair of completed passes had Texas Tech near midfield when Linebacker Jeffrey Bassa took an interception 45 yards to the house to go up 38-30. Shough’s desperation heave to the endzone would be picked off by Bryan Addison to secure the Oregon win.

Bo Nix finished 32-44 for 359 yards and 2 TDs. Troy Franklin went over 100 yards again finishing with 103 yards and 1 TD on 6 catches. Nix was also Oregon’s leading rusher, finishing with 46 yards. The Duck defense certainly came to play recording 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, and recovering a fumble. Texas Tech starts 0-2 for the first time since 1990 as they get ready to host Tarleton State. Oregon comes home to Autzen to welcome Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors may be riding a 3-win streak against the Ducks, but that last meeting was in 1994.