Avery Johnson set an FBS freshman record with five rushing touchdowns as visiting Kansas State defeated Texas Tech 38-21 Saturday night in Lubbock, Texas.
Kansas State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) defeated the Red Raiders for the eighth straight time. The last time Tech defeated Kansas State was in 2015, when Patrick Mahomes led the Red Raiders to a 59-44 victory.
Behren Morton was 14-of-21 passing for 125 yards for Texas Tech (3-4, 2-2) in the first half, but he didn’t play in the second half after suffering an undisclosed injury. True freshman Jake Strong took over in the second half, going 16 of 28 for 173 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
Strong led a 99-yard touchdown drive to give the Red Raiders their first lead at 21-17 early in the third quarter. He had a 54-yard run setting up a first-and-goal. On third down, Strong found Jerand Bradley in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead score.
Johnson brought the Wildcats right back. His 30-yard touchdown run was his third of the game.
On the first play of the ensuing drive, Strong threw an interception that was returned to the TTU 11. Johnson ran untouched up the middle on the first play to give K-State a 31-21 lead.
Tech’s next two possessions were stopped by Kobe Savage interceptions. The second one set up K-State’s 80-yard drive, capped by Johnson’s fifth rushing touchdown.
Chris Tennant’s 47-yard field goal gave KSU a 3-0 lead. The Wildcats went up 10-0 after Johnson ran it in from the 2-yard line at 2:54 of the first.
Texas Tech responded with a methodical 14-play drive after gaining a total of 15 yards on its first two drives. Morton capped it with a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal.
K-State then drove 80 yards in seven plays and went up 17-7 when Johnson went around the left end for a 5-yard touchdown.
Tech then averted disaster when wideout Cam’Ron Valdez fumbled on his own 23 following a hit by K-State’s Jake Clifton. But Clifton was penalized for targeting and the Red Raiders kept the ball. That sparked the Tech offense. Tahj Brooks scored a 2-yard touchdown with 23 seconds left to trim the deficit to 17-14 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
