Texas Tech football: The most painful plays in Red Raider history

Missed XP vs Oklahoma State in 2016

Another special team’s blunder that cost the Red Raiders a shot at a massive upset came in 2016.  In a 45-44 loss to No. 13 Oklahoma State, it was a missed extra-point attempt in the final two minutes of the game that robbed Tech of the opportunity to take the game to OT and stun the Big 12.

Entering the 4th quarter, Tech trailed 45-35.  But Pat Mahomes and the offense put up nine-unanswered points including a TD run by Quinton White to pull the Red Raiders to within one point with 1:44 to play.

But that’s when the right foot of kicker Clayton Hatfield failed his team.  On a play that featured a flawless snap and hold and saw OSU put no pressure on the kicker, the sophomore simply pushed the ball wide right.

Hatfield would finish his career with a field goal percentage of 84.0%.  That still ranks tops in Texas Tech football history.

What’s more, in 2016, he hit 13 of 14 field goals.  That was good for a program single-season record of 92.8%.

So that’s why the fact that he missed five extra points that year remains so puzzling.  It’s equivalent to Davide Moretti missing a last-minute free throw…and we all know that would never happen…oh wait.

We’ll never know if this game would have even reached OT as that Red Raider defense was so bad that there was plenty of time for OSU to score.  But it certainly would have been fund to find out.