Texas Tech absolutely dismantled No. 16 Utah in a 34-10 showdown in Salt Lake City. The win was credited to a smothering defense, with a late offensive surge led by backup QB Will Hammond. Hammond’s 169 yards, 2 TDs, and 61 rushing yards helped the Red Raiders make a comfortable lead after Behren Morton exited in the third quarter. Cameron Dickey logged two scores with 67 yards on the ground. In hindsight, this road win is a must before the Red Raiders’ schedule eases and with the injury shuffle under center.

Discipline, though, was a disappointment. Texas Tech was flagged 14 times during the game. And those 14 penalties include 7 for false starts that repeatedly pushed back the Red Raiders during their campaign for the red zone. They weren’t just a blemish either. They were costly, with 7 penalties racking up 73 yards for the opponent in the first half alone, as the Raiders tried to heal self-inflicted wounds before the offense found its rhythm. And even as the lead became harder to close, the penalties were still frequent. 

And then Joey McGuire did what any good coach should’ve done. He took accountability. As Ty Kaplan reported on X, “Joey McGuire said he blames himself for the false start penalties Saturday.” That’s a nod to the head coach owning up to pre-snap penalties, which could’ve cost them the game if the defense had not one-upped Utah’s offense every drive. This should not have happened, especially against a ranked team in a hostile environment.

The silver lining, though, is Will Hammond’s live reps. As the backup QB took the field in the veteran’s absence, he settled the offense during a crucial stretch and protected the football while the already good defense strangled Utah’s hope. Morton’s two picks were in stark contrast with Hammond’s clean slate, and his two TDs helped the Red Raiders get the conference win. 

But in the bigger picture, this was a statement road win for the Raiders. And the timing of the bye week cannot be understated, given Morton’s injury. Morton left the field in the third quarter after facing a helmet-to-helmet collision, which was not ruled for targeting. It was confirmed that Morton was ruled out for the remainder of the game after the collision. Now with a Top-20 win and a rejuvenated confidence in their backup QB, Texas Tech will ease into their 2nd stretch of the season with a clean slate and both QBs healthy.

Encouraging Morton update

During a second and long early in the third quarter, Morton took the ball for a scramble from deep in the Red Raiders’ territory and went headfirst into a collision with Utah linebacker Johnathan Hill. Morton’s helmet hit the turf, and he went to the locker room and was later ruled out of the game. Officials reviewed the targeting, but the ruling stood. This led to Will Hammond coming to the field for the remainder of the game to get the ranked road win. This entire sequence was jarring for the fans, the players, and potentially Patrick Mahomes. But the composed next-man-up took control of the situation.

The bye week next might be the best blessing any Red Raider could ask for. As Ross Dellenger reported on X, “Joey McGuire suggests that QB Behren Morton should be OK moving forward. He was celebrating with the team in the locker room. McGuire is thankful Texas Tech has a bye week next week. ‘He didn’t want to come out (of the game),’ he said.” We are well aware of Morton’s competitive instinct, but the collision was serious enough to have a comprehensive concussion protocol. 

However, for Texas Tech, everything turned out well in the end. Morton is good; they’ve a bye week to aid his recovery. The defense was elite; Will Hammond took care of business and sent a message to the entire fan base that they can absolutely count on him. All they need is to clear out the penalty situation, and they definitely are a CFP contender. The schedule eases in the next stretch, and their unbeaten streak will be here for some time now.