Texas Tech Loses to Arizona State: What This Means for the Red Raiders
TEMPE, Ariz — No. 7 Texas Tech was without its starting quarterback Saturday, but its perfect season ended because of more than that. Arizona State defeated Texas Tech 26-22 in front of a sea of yellow in Tempe, Arizona to give the Red Raiders their first loss of the season. The 26 points are the most the Red Raider defense has allowed all season. While still a low number, hints of Texas Tech’s 2024 secondary showed. The team finished No. 134 in passing defense that year.
On the opposite side, Arizona State’s defensive line disrupted Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond early and often. The Red Raiders punted on the first four drives, and their only scores before a fourth-quarter push came because of a turnover on downs, which set Texas Tech up past midfield.
The Red Raiders scored with 3:45 left on a 1-yard touchdown run, but the Sun Devils felt confident they could drain the 3:45 left on the clock. They couldn’t.
The Game-Changing Plays
The Red Raider defense forced an incompletion, a 2-yard rush and then Lee Hunter sacked quarterback Sam Leavitt. The punt that followed came off wobbly and bounced at the 50-yard line before Coy Eakin picked it up and returned it to the Arizona State 12-yard line. Hammond slung a bullet pass to wide receiver Reggie Virgil on the first play of the drive as the two-minute timeout was called.
Leavitt returned the favor and drove to the Texas Tech 14-yard line. A late holding penalty against Texas Tech defensive back Brice Pollock on Jordan Tyson set Arizona State up at the 2-yard line. The Red Raiders eventually allowed the game-winning score, a 1-yard rush by Raleek Brown.
Five Takeaways from the Loss
The loss will likely knock Texas Tech outside the top 10 and elevate Arizona State into the top 25 rankings, but there are still five games left in the Red Raiders’ season. Here are five takeaways from the loss.
Invincible Season Dreams Shattered
Winning every game of the season is a rare feat in college football, so losing a game is expected for Texas Tech. However, how it lost and the uncertainty of its quarterback situation moving forward are unexpected. The Red Raiders could not build any form of momentum with Hammond at quarterback before the final four minutes.
There is no expectation for Hammond to start the remainder of the season since Morton was walking and jogging pregame. But in the event he goes down again, there is no security blanket.
Hammond Not Ready for Full-Time Starter Job
Saturday was more than uncharacteristic for the Texas Tech offense. The Red Raiders, who outscored their opponents 98-3 in the first quarters prior, were forced into four consecutive punts to start the day. It’s the first time Texas Tech failed to score on the opening drive this season, and the fewest yards in a first half since 2023 against Texas.
Hammond struggled as a runner, which allowed Arizona State to drop its quarterback spy into additional coverage by the second half. Hammond had seven quarterback run plays designed for him in the first half. It went for a total of 16 yards.
As a passer, he drifted deep into his pocket and was either sacked or forced to scramble on more than 25% of his drop-backs. However, in motion or firmly in the pocket, Hammond overthrew multiple open receivers on critical third downs.
David Bailey Remains the Top Edge Rusher in College
Already leading the country with 8.5 sacks, outside linebacker David Bailey added two more to his career-best campaign. Both sacks came in the opening quarter on consecutive plays. On his first sack, Bailey barreled his way to Leavitt and defensive tackle Lee Hunter and linebacker Ben Roberts helped him finish off the second-down play. He took Leavitt down solo on the next play for an eight-yard loss.
Bailey’s streak of multi-sack games is up to three, which is the most in his career. He ranks No. 7 in Texas Tech’s single-season sack record. The record is 15, set by Brandon Sharpe in 2009.
Brenden Jordan Costs Secondary
Texas Tech safety Brenden Jordan was the coverage specialist responsible for allowing two explosive plays Saturday. He was outpaced on a 49-yard completion to Jaren Hamilton on a third-down attempt, which ultimately resulted in a field goal. Then again, on a 45-yard strike which put Arizona State at the 4-yard line.
The Sun Devils only got a field goal out of the play, but Jordan was eventually involved in a touchdown. Jordan was in press coverage against Tyson at the goal line, and Tyson had a first step going right, which made Jordan stumble backward. Tyson rolled into the flat uncovered for a touchdown to go up 16-7.
Panic is Not Needed, Yet
Texas Tech’s schedule in the coming weeks includes Oklahoma State (1-5), Kansas State (3-4), UCF (1-3 in Big 12 play) and West Virginia (0-4 in Big 12 play). It’s only game against a ranked team the rest of the season is No. 15 BYU on Nov. 8.
The Red Raiders’ push for a top-5 ranking will fall short for now, but the Big 12 Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoffs are well within reach. Morton was able to serve in an emergency role against Arizona State, which means he should be on track to play again this season. Furthermore, Morton could take an additional week off when Oklahoma State comes to Lubbock Oct. 25.
The only room for realistic panic is if the secondary continues to trend toward its bottom-five-ranked form from 2024.
Conclusion
The loss to Arizona State is a setback for Texas Tech, but it’s not the end of the world. The Red Raiders still have a lot to play for, and with Morton potentially returning soon, they could make a push for the Big 12 Championship. However, the secondary needs to improve, and Hammond needs to work on his passing and running abilities if he wants to be a reliable backup quarterback.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game between Texas Tech and Arizona State?
A: The final score was 26-22 in favor of Arizona State.
Q: Who was the starting quarterback for Texas Tech in the game?
A: Will Hammond was the starting quarterback for Texas Tech in the game.
Q: What is the current ranking of Texas Tech in the college football rankings?
A: Texas Tech is currently ranked No. 7 in the college football rankings, but this may change after the loss to Arizona State.
Q: Who is the leading edge rusher in college football?
A: David Bailey is the leading edge rusher in college football, with 8.5 sacks so far this season.
