Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech football: The most explosive games in Red Raider history

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 17: General view of the Texas Tech Red Raiders scoreboard after the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on September 17, 2016 at AT&T Jones Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech won the game 59-45. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 17: General view of the Texas Tech Red Raiders scoreboard after the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on September 17, 2016 at AT&T Jones Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech won the game 59-45. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next

No. 3: Pat Mahomes’ heroics vs. OU in 2016

The shootout between Pat Mahomes and OU’s Baker Mayfield in 2016 will long be remembered as one of the most legendary offensive showings in the history of the NCAA.  But because Tech didn’t manage to pull off the upset, it ranks only third on our list.

Make no mistake though, this was an offensive explosion for the ages.  In the 66-59 Sooner victory, the teams combined for an NCAA record 1,708 yards.

Mahomes had five touchdown passes and 734 yards through the air.  His passing total tied the all-time college football record, which was held by Connor Halliday of Washington State.  What’s more, with 85 rushing yards, Mahomes set an NCAA record with 819 total yards from scrimmage.

Both Keke Coutee and the player who he would supplant that year as the starter at one of the inside receiver positions, Jonathan Giles, had huge games.  Coutee finished with 172 yards and a TD while Giles caught two scores on his way to 167 yards.  Both players caught 10 passes.

At the other inside receiver spot, Cam Batson had 99 yards and a TD on 9 catches.  His backup, Ian Sadler, caught 7 passes for 75 yards.

In the game, Mahomes was asked to throw the ball 88 times as the two teams raced up and down the field causing the game to last over four hours.  Mahomes also carried the ball 12 times meaning that only eight times did he not throw or run the ball that game.

Amazingly, both teams ended the night with 854 total yards.  And after Tech punted on the first possession of the third quarter, every drive of the remainder of the game ended in a TD with the exception of the final drive when OU downed the ball to kill the clock.

Because both Mahomes and Mayfield have gone on to stardom in the NFL, this game has become even more legendary in football circles than it was when it took place.  Add to that the fact that Kliff Kingsbury has taken to the NFL the offensive scheme that gave Mahomes the ability to put up such insane numbers that night and you have people pointing back to this classic as a game that is a benchmark in the modern-day offensive revolution.

Home/Texas Tech Football