Tech tops Baylor to snap skid; Oklahoma St. holds off Iowa St.
ARLINGTON — Texas Tech hadn’t started a game like this since 1973. The Red Raiders hadn’t finished one like this in more than a month.
Keke Coutee had Tech’s first game-opening kickoff return for a touchdown in 44 years, and the Red Raiders got plenty of help from their defense to end a four-game losing streak with a 38-24 win over Baylor on Saturday.
“It was big. We needed this one, been right there the last four games … just couldn’t pull it out,” Tech quarterback Nic Shimonek said. “I felt like we played one of our most complete games start to finish than we have all year. Good confidence builder.”
Texas Tech (5-5, 2-5 Big 12) still needs one more win to get bowl eligible, and there is still uncertainty about coach Kliff Kingsbury’s future at his alma mater. The Raiders won their first seven games after the former QB became coach in 2013 but are 22-31 since.
Even though the Bears (1-9, 1-6) had 523 total yards, they were stopped on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 and had four turnovers.
One of Baylor’s two fumbles on quarterback-running back exchanges came inside the 10, and there was an interception in the end zone and another late fumble returned for a touchdown.
“Turnovers erase all the ugly things that happen,” Tech defensive tackle Broderick Washington said.
Coutee took the opening kickoff 93 yards to start the game with a TD return, the first for Tech since Lawrence Williams opened the 1973 game against New Mexico.
OKLAHOMA ST. 49 IOWA ST. 42
Mason Rudolph threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns — including two in the final 5:55 — and the No. 15 Cowboys beat the No. 21 Cyclones at Ames, Iowa.
Justice Hill had 134 yards and three TD runs for the Cowboys (8-2, 5-2 Big 12), who remain in a tie for second place in the league with two games to go.
“We’re very resilient. I knew it was going to be a difficult game,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said.
Rudolph found Marcell Ateman for a 30-yard TD pass, and Hill’s two-point conversion run tied the game at 42 with 5:55 left. The Cowboys jumped ahead 49-42 just two minutes later as Rudolph hit Dillon Stoner for a 19-yard touchdown reception.
“We’ve been down so many times throughout my career. Down 14, down 21, down 17, it doesn’t matter because we know we can bounce back real quick, get points on the board, get back into the game,” Rudolph said.
The Cyclones got inside Oklahoma State’s 3-yard line with 32 seconds left, but Zeb Noland threw an interception to A.J. Green to end the game.
“It’s a gut-wrenching loss. It’s not easy. But college football isn’t easy,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “It’s a game of inches, and our job is to win the inch. And we came up a little bit short.”
Quarterback-linebacker Joel Lanning had a rushing and passing TD for Iowa State (6-4, 4-3). He connected with Allen Lazard on his only pass attempt, a 22-yard TD strike with 14:13 left that Lazard caught with one hand while falling. David Montgomery had three TDs for the Cyclones.
WEST VIRGINIA 28 KANSAS ST. 23
Will Grier threw for 372 yards and four touchdowns, Justin Crawford added 113 yards rushing and the Mountaineers held off the Wildcats at Manhattan, Kan.
Ka’Raun White had eight catches for 168 yards and two scores for West Virginia (7-3, 5-2). Kansas State (5-5, 3-4) closed to 28-23 in the fourth, but couldn’t come all the way back.