Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
LUBBOCK, Texas- Thomas Castellanos threw five touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score to Kenny Johnson with 2:42 remaining, as No. 13 Texas Tech held off West Virginia 53-48 on Saturday night at Galaxy Stadium.
The Mountaineers (5-4, 2-4 Big 12) overcame a 14-point halftime deficit with a dominant third quarter, outscoring the Red Raiders 21-0 to take a 48-41 lead into the final quarter. Texas Tech scored the final 12 points to secure its 14th consecutive home victory.
The teams combined for 1,200 yards of offense in an old-fashioned Big 12 shootout, with 13 plays gaining at least 30 yards.
Castellanos completed 18 of 27 passes for 362 yards and five touchdowns while adding 102 rushing yards on 23 attempts. J’Koby Williams rushed for a game-high 160 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown, as the Red Raiders (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) finished with 638 total yards.
WVU’s defense struggled early, allowing Texas Tech to pile up 494 yards before halftime as the Red Raiders built a 41-27 lead.
“Our defense was gross,” Mountaineer head coach Rich Rodriguez said afterward. “(Texas Tech) was going against air in the first half.”
WVU made a dramatic turnaround after halftime. K.J. Henson started the second half with a 15-yard sack of Castellanos, setting the tone for a defense that held Texas Tech to just 12 yards in the third quarter.
The Red Raiders’ first three possessions of the second half resulted in punts after gaining minus-12, 10 and 2 yards.
Meanwhile, the Mountaineers’ offense took advantage of the opportunity.
Michael Hawkins Jr. threw for 303 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 88 yards and three scores. His three rushing touchdowns gave him 19 for the season, setting a WVU single-season record.
Taron Francis caught all three of his passes for 169 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Francis entered the game without a reception this season.
Cam Cook led the Mountaineers with 149 yards on 23 carries, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards for the season and becoming WVU’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Leddie Brown in 2021.
Hawkins scored two rushing touchdowns during the third-quarter surge, including one with 1:12 remaining that gave the Mountaineers a 48-41 lead.
But Texas Tech made the necessary plays down the stretch.
Trailing by seven, the Red Raiders began a fourth-quarter drive at their own 3-yard line and converted three third downs while benefiting from two WVU pass interference penalties. Stone Harrington’s 46-yard field goal capped a 15-play, 69-yard drive that cut the Mountaineers’ lead to 48-44 with 7:55 remaining.
Texas Tech later retook the lead for good after WVU was unable to convert on third-and-1 with seven minutes remaining. The Mountaineers punted and the Red Raiders drove 69 yards in nine plays.
Castellanos kept the drive alive with a 26-yard pass to Micah Hudson on fourth-and-3 before finding Johnson for a 5-yard touchdown with 2:42 remaining.
WVU’s offense, which finished with 562 total yards, struggled when it mattered most. The Mountaineers netted minus-5 yards over their final five possessions.
Facing fourth-and-10 at its own 25-yard line with two minutes remaining, WVU went for it, and Hawkins was sacked for an 11-yard loss, giving Texas Tech possession at the Mountaineer 14-yard line.
The WVU defense held and forced a turnover on downs when the Red Raiders failed to convert fourth-and-2 at the 5-yard line. However, the Mountaineers could not capitalize.
Hawkins was later sacked in the end zone for a safety, and Texas Tech recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal the win.
“We moved the ball pretty well, but we didn’t when we needed to,” Rodriguez said.
The Mountaineers’ two first-half scoring drives that ended in field goals followed red-zone penalties were detrimental, leaving points on the field in a game ultimately decided by five.
WVU returns to Morgantown next Saturday as Kansas comes to town. The Mountaineers are looking for their sixth victory and bowl eligibility.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
