Texas Tech football: Statistical reasons Tech lost to UT

Tight end Jaden York #41 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates during the first half of the college football game against the Texas Longhorns on September 26, 2020 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

Tech lost the turnover battle

We would be remiss if we didn’t admit that the game’s most important stat, turnovers, also played a huge role in Saturday’s loss. In fact, giving the ball away was just as damaging to Tech as were the special teams blunders of the fourth quarter.

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Tech lost the turnover battle 3-2 with all three giveaways being Alan Bowman interceptions. Meanwhile, Tech got an interception of Ehlinger from Alex Hogan and a TD off of a muffed punt.

For as long as we look back on this game, we are going to be sick over the first two Bowman picks. That’s because both came right after huge special teams plays.

Following Tech’s second TD, Matt Wells made the bold call to attempt an onside kick and it was executed perfectly by kicker Trey Wolff who recovered his own kickoff after it rolled exactly ten yards. At that point, Tech trailed 17-14 and had the momentum on its side.

On the first play of the ensuing possession, OC David Yost went for the quick-strike score. But Alaw Bowman made an ill-conceived throw into double-coverage, one that was picked off and returned 22 yards to the UT 49. It was a play on which Bowman stared down his receiver the entire way, allowing the safety, Chris Brown, to come over and make an easy pick.

Later in the second quarter, the Red raiders blocked a Texas punt and recovered the ball at the Longhorn 17. However, on the second play of that drive, Bowman was again picked off as he once again stared down another receiver. Of course, his final INT was on the game’s final play as a desperation play on 4th-and-14 was intercepted.

This was the fourth multi-interception game of Bowman’s career. What’s more, all four have come against Power 5 teams. In fact, only twice in his career (vs. Ole Miss and Kansas in 2018) has Bowman played more than two quarters in a game against a Power 5 team and not been picked off at least twice. Also, this was the fourth-straight game against Power 5 opponents in which Tech gave the ball away at least twice.

Entering the game, we talked about how Tech would likely need to have a big edge in the turnover department to take down UT and that didn’t happen. In fact, the opposite took place and to make matters even worse, two of Bowman’s three turnovers were absolutely crushing. That’s not how you pull off an upset.