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Texas Tech football: Why Red Raiders were able to down the Cowboys

By Matthew Conner

STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 25: The Texas Tech Red Raiders flag flies outside the stadium before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys September 25, 2014 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Red Raiders 45-35. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 25: The Texas Tech Red Raiders flag flies outside the stadium before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys September 25, 2014 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Red Raiders 45-35. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
(Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Tech had a decided advantage in the QB battle

You’ll have to forgive those among us who thought that the Cowboys would have an edge at QB.  But, third-string QB Jett Duffey outplayed OSU redshirt freshman Spencer Sanders in a battle of former winners of the Mr. Texas High School Football Award.

The most important number was 5-0.  That’s the margin by which Duffey won the turnover battle against his counterpart.  In a huge surprise, the junior had his first turnover-free start as a Red Raider.

Meanwhile, Sanders fumbled twice and was picked off three times.  Heading into the game, Red Raider fans feared Duffey’s propensity for giving the ball away so it was a pleasant turn of events when they saw their team take advantage of an opposing QB’s charity for once.

Duffey also proved more capable of pushing the ball down the field.  Averaging 9.6 yards per attempt, Tech’s QB was able to break the game open by threatening the OSU defense deep.  Even despite the fact that he missed a few early deep shots, he was as solid with his deep ball as we’ve ever seen him be.

Meanwhile, Sanders was Charlie Checkdown.  It’s hard to know if that was the game plan going in or just what the inexperienced QB thought was most available to him.

In a game that saw Tech’s QB have a 78.4-21.8 advantage in QB rating, there’s little wonder how Tech came away with the win.  And it provided Red Raider fans confidence that the team will be able to win with Duffey leading the way.

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