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

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) /

The Red Raiders were the more efficient team on the ground

For the first time this season, we finally saw the Red Raiders run the ball when they wanted to as was what we were promised by Matt Wells and David Yost. Against the Cowboys, Tech was able to utilize its rushing attack far more effectively than the Pokes used theirs.

Tech ran for 162 yards on 35 carries, an average of 4.6 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, OSU ran for 219 yards on a whopping 59 rushes, for an average of just 3.9 yards.

Entering the game, OSU was the top rushing team in the Big 12 and currently, the Cowboys are second with 279 yards per game. Meanwhile, Tech is just 7th in the league with an average of just over 171 yards per game.

Thus, it was rather unexpected to see the Red Raider rushing attack have a more efficient day than the Cowboy ground game. Tech’s three-headed running back attack of SaRodorick Thompson, Ta’Zhawn Henry, and Armand Shyne ran for 144 combined yards, nearly equalling what the nation’s leading rusher, Chuba Hubbard amassed (156 yards).

In that sense, what was expected to be the Cowboys’ greatest advantage was all but neutralized. That’s a huge reason that Sanders was asked to shoulder such a load, which led to his five turnovers.

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