West Virginia fell 53-48 to Texas Tech in a late-night shootout after failing to secure plays in the final eight minutes.
The matchup began with an explosive offensive pace that rivaled historic college football shootouts. Over 600 yards of total offense accumulated within the first few minutes of the second quarter, echoing the memorable 70-63 game against Baylor fourteen years prior. According to Yahoo Sports, the first 30 minutes yielded 892 yards of offense, marking the highest first-half total in a Big 12 game since 2004.
Quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. delivered another standout performance, cementing his status among the elite signal-callers in the country. His second rushing touchdown of the evening broke Pat White’s single-season record for most rushing scores by a West Virginia quarterback.
West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez described the first-half defensive performance as “embarrassing” on the ESPN broadcast, noting missed angles and wide-open receivers. Defensive coordinator Zac Alley’s unit managed four consecutive stops at the start of the second half before allowing a field goal and a touchdown.
Late-game execution errors proved decisive for the Mountaineers. A third-and-short run up the middle was stuffed, giving Texas Tech the momentum needed to claim the lead. Later, a defensive pass interference penalty and a 50/50 deep ball conversion on fourth-and-three allowed Texas Tech to extend a drive into scoring range.
Trailing late in the fourth quarter, West Virginia faced a fourth-down turnover in the red zone after offensive pressure disrupted the backfield. Texas Tech capitalized on the ensuing sequence, sealing the 53-48 victory as time expired.
A battle of endurance 💪 #15 Texas Tech outlasts West Virginia 😤 West Virginia vs. #15 Texas Tech Highlights⏩@TexasTechFB pic.twitter.com/SnfwAPd5T8
