No. 13 Texas Tech travels to face Oregon State in a high-profile night game on CBS. The Red Raiders hope to rebound after a sluggish start in a 33-10 win over Abilene Christian. Quarterback Will Hammond completed his first 14 passes after returning from a torn ACL, finishing with 298 passing yards.
Oregon State's debut under first-year coach JaMarcus Shepherd was highly impressive, a 33-20 loss to No. 23 Houston that was within one score in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Braden Atkinson, a Mercer transfer, exploded for 376 yards and a touchdown against a strong Cougars defense.
When these teams met in Lubbock last season, the Red Raiders delivered a dominant 45-14 victory behind touchdowns from Coy Eakin, J'Koby Williams and Terrance Carter, who each rushed for more than 100 yards. However, the Beavers boast a completely new squad.
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Oregon State was driving down the field once again and having some success, but cornerback Amier Boyd stepped up to the moment. Boyd jumped a route and picked off Braden Atkinson for the first turnover of the game. The Red Raiders will now have just under two minutes to drive down the field to extend their lead.
Texas Tech saw an opportunity to take control of the game back late in the first half, and a physical touchdown drive got it done. The Red Raiders went on an 11-play, 73-yard touchdown drive capped off by a one-yard touchdown run from Cam Dickey.
The Red Raiders ran the ball eight times in 11 plays to try and assert their will, including their first real chunk play from Quinten Joyner. Quarterback Will Hammond has been efficient, but the Red Raiders need to lean on the running game to put things away.
One play after Texas Tech scored its first touchdown, Braden Atkinson dropped in a massive 75-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Legree as he was flatted by a Red Raiders defender. Atkinson has been threatening all day, but he finally hit one over the top.
Texas Tech added quarterback Tommy Castellanos late in the cycle after he received a waiver, and the former ACC starter is already making an impact. The Red Raiders brought Castellanos in as a change-of-pace backup, using him primraily as a runner. He broke off a seven-yard touchdown run to get the Red Raiders on the board first.
Texas Tech has struggled to run the ball against an aggressive Oregon State defense, but Red Raiders quarterback Will Hammond is finding his rhythm. Hammond has completed 9-of-12 passes for 75 yards to help lead a run into the red zone.
Oregon State is off to a hot start against Texas Tech's highly-ranked defense after one quarter. Quarterback Braden Atkinson has thrown for 71 yards as both Beavers drives went for at least eight plays. However, a 54-yard missed field goal looms large as the Red Raiders get the ball back to start the second quarter.
Texas Tech has struggled to get push against the Beavers, limiting themselves to six yards on five carries between Cameron Dickey and Quinten Joyner. Quarterback Will Hammond has 36 yards in his fourth career start, including an 18-yard connection with Micah Hudson.
Texas Tech gets the ball approaching midfield to start the second quarter.
Oregon State and Texas Tech were both forced to punt after one drive, and the story early has been both teams' inability to run. Oregon State rushed for -4 yards on their first two carries, while Texas Tech's Cameron Dickey and Quinten Joyner combined for six yards on five carries. The quarterbacks have played well early, but with rain starting to come down, not having consistency in the running game could make this an ugly game.
Texas Tech won the toss and opted to defer, which sets up Oregon State with a chance for first blood. The Beavers got a poor return and will have the length of the field to go.
Texas Tech needed a tune-up game to get ready for primetime, but the Red Raiders will come out motivated on the road. The defensive line will cause issues for breakout Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson, and Texas Tech's offense will lean heavily on its run game. It will be a late cover, but a cover nonetheless. Pick: Texas Tech -26.5
Oregon State returned quarterback Maalik Murphy, but took a swing on Jerry Rice Award winner Braden Atkinson from Mercer. The North Carolina native led the Bears to a Southern Conference championship last season, helping coach Mike Jacobs to earn the Toledo job.
In his first start with the Beavers, Atkinson was unbelievable. The sophomore threw for 376 yards and a touchdown as the Cougars nearly upset No. 23 Houston. Freshman Jesse Legree caught five passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Texas Tech is strong in the secondary, but Atkinson presents a unique challenge.
Most of Texas Tech's top-ranked defense graduated to the NFL last season, including No. 2 overall draft pick David Bailey. Their debut against Abilene Christian was solid, but behind the dominance of their early season slate last year.
Kent State edge rusher transfer Jamond Mathis impressed with 2.5 sacks against the Wildcats, but no one else on the team registered a sack. Highly-rated transfers Adam Trick and Mateen Ibirogba didn't record any disruptive stats. They'll play a major role containing Atkinson and the passing offense.
