Twice as nice: Texas Tech outlasts Oklahoma to complete Longhorns, Sooners sweep

Texas Tech's quest to beat Oklahoma and Texas in the same football season for the first time came to fruition Saturday night. In both instances, Trey Wolff made the field goals the Red Raiders needed to get to overtime and then to win in walk-off fashion.

The senior kicker made a 35-yard field goal in overtime that gave Tech a 51-48 home victory over Oklahoma and a three-game winning streak to end the regular season. When Tech beat Texas in September, Wolff made kicks in the final minute of regulation and again in overtime to walk it off.

"I like how similar it was to the Texas game," Wolff said, "except it was at the opposite end this time."

His latest game winner ended an offensive shootout in which the two teams combined for 1,271 yards. There were five lead changes in the second half and overtime, and Tech finally prevailed after trailing 17-0 and 24-6.

"The one thing I've said and will continue to say: One thing about Red Raider teams, you'll never question how hard they're going to play and how long and how much fight they have in them," Tech coach Joey McGuire said. "If we need extra football to win games, we'll go into overtime and win it there."

Tech (7-5, 5-4 in the Big 12) gave up season highs in points and yards (672). Just like last week, though, when the Red Raiders' defense rose up at critical moments in a win at Iowa State, the same unit made one more pivotal stop.

After Wolff's 43-yarder with three seconds left in regulation tied it at 48, Oklahoma (6-6, 3-6) went first in overtime. On a second down from the Tech 10-yard line, defensive tackle Vidal Scott pulled down Eric Gray by the jersey for a 3-yard loss and defensive end Joseph Adedire sacked Dillon Gabriel, forcing the Sooners to settle for a field goal.

Zach Schmit narrowly missed from 35 yards, leaving the door open for Wolff to win it four plays later.

Tech, forecast for ninth in the Big 12 preseason media poll, finished alone in fourth in the Big 12 standings with its first winning record in conference play since 2009. That should help the Red Raiders' positioning for a bowl with five Big 12 teams finishing 7-5 or 6-6.

Tech quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 436 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard strike to Jerand Bradley that put Tech ahead 45-38 with 8:43 left. Oklahoma answered, however, with a 1-yard TD pass from Gabriel to Jalil Farooq. C.J. Coldon intercepted Shough on the next series, and the Sooners converted the opportunity into a 42-yard field goal from Schmit that gave them the lead with 4:04 to go.

Tech kept the ball for 13 plays on the next series, converting a third down with a pass to Tahj Brooks and a fourth-and-7 with a pass to Loic Fouonji. On third-and-4 from the OU 28, Shough was marked just short of the line to gain.

McGuire decided to play it safe and sent out Wolff for the first of his two clutch kicks.

"I've always been one of those guys, I never want to take away a great opportunity to go into overtime," McGuire said. "We feel good about Wolff going out there and making that kick. So I don't want to take that away from those guys, not having the opportunity to win it in overtime."

Tech is 3-0 since Shough regained the starting quarterback job on Nov. 12 after Behren Morton aggravated an injured ankle. Shough, a target of critics for much of his two injury-plagued seasons at Tech, revealed raw feelings when asked what it meant to quiet his skeptics.

"I didn't really care at all, because I knew they were going to be proved wrong anyway," Shough said. "People on staff, too. A lot of people in this building, down the hall, didn't believe in me either. So, you know, screw 'em. Because I know what we're going to do and I believe in my teammates.

"Especially how the fans and a lot of the media ... It doesn't really matter, just because I knew I was going to get my opportunity, especially the way we were playing, I was going to have a chance. You know, whatever. What's next?"

Bradley finished with eight catches for a career-high 173 yards. He said he was motivated by the presence of former Tech All-American Michael Crabtree, who was honored for his pending induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Gabriel threw for 449 yards and six touchdowns, two each to wide receiver Marvin Mims (five receptions, 162 yards) and tight end Brayden Willis (seven receptions, 74 yards) and one each to wide receivers Theo Wease (three catches, 123 yards) and Farooq.

Gray put together his eighth 100-yard performance of the season, carrying 28 times for 161 yards.

Tech running back SaRodorick Thompson carried 22 times for 86 yards and two touchdowns. McGuire said he expects Thompson to declare for the NFL draft at the end of the season, adding that that's been the plan all year.

Tech backup quarterback Donovan Smith ran for one touchdown and caught a pass for another. The latter put Tech ahead 38-31 with 2:46 left in the third quarter. Smith lined up at running back in a T formation, and the Sooners left him uncovered angling out of the backfield, allowing Shough an easy throw for a 15-yard score.

Tech scored 17 consecutive points in the last 3:09 of the first half to close within 24-23 at halftime.

Thompson started the surge with a 6-yard touchdown. Three plays later, safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted Gabriel, putting Tech in business again at the Oklahoma 29. After the Red Raiders dialed Thompson's number on the next three plays, moving the ball to the 6, Smith scored on a keeper, narrowing the gap to 24-20 at 1:28 before the break.

Smith lined up on the left flank before shifting behind center for the shotgun snap. He sidestepped linebacker DaShaun White in the backfield and had an easy lane to the end zone.

Not content with that degree of momentum, Tech used a timeout after it got OU into a long-yardage situation. Then after a punt, the Red Raiders took over at their own 12-yard line with 48 seconds left and no timeouts. In the ensuing eight-play series, Shough hit Bradley for 10 yards, Thompson for 24 and Bradley for 43 yards to the Sooners' 11, setting up the field goal.

Gabriel threw three touchdown passes in the first half, for 7 yards to Willis and for 37 and 77 yards to Mims. The latter made the Sooners' lead 24-6 at 6:25 before halftime. It resulted from a blown coverage, as Mims was left uncovered and caught the ball with no one near him at the Tech 33-yard line.

Quick hits

Tech nose tackle Jaylon Hutchings scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run, then did a little dance in the end zone. The Red Raiders lined up the 305-pound senior at fullback in a wishbone formation on back-to-back plays and threw incomplete for him on the first of the two plays.

"Boog (Hutchings) has been messing with me about it, because he's been talking about what a great running back he was in high school," McGuire said. "I told (offensive coordinator Zach) Kittley we've got to get him in a little bit." ...

Tech LB Kosi Eldridge was credited with a career high 14 tackles, including a sack. Tech S Reggie Pearson was credited with 11 tackles, including big hits on Gray and Gabriel.

Tech S Marquis Waters had another tackle for loss, moving his season total to 12 1/2. ...

Tech boundary DE Isaac Smith made his first start and wound up being an iron man because usual starter Jesiah Pierre left with an ankle injury.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Double the fun: Texas Tech outlasts Oklahoma to complete Longhorns, Sooners sweep