Texas Tech football: Why the Red Raiders lost to Kansas State

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Oct 3, 2020; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders punter Austin McNamara (31) has his punt blocked by Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Ryan Henington (16) during a game at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports /

The special teams were anything but

We just needed Tech’s special teams to be average against Kansas State. It wasn’t a case where the Wildcats were so much more talented than the Red Raiders that making huge special teams plays was what Wells’ team had to do to stay in the game.

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But it appears that average is a bit too much to ask for from this year’s kicking game. In fact, for the second-straight week, that aspect of the game is what cost the Red Raiders a win.

First of all, Tech should have had six extra points but sophomore kicker Trey Wolff missed a pair of makeable field goals. That puts him at 0-3 on the year, which is shocking considering that he made 20-22 FG attempts in 2019.

Then there were the seven points that K-State got after blocking the Red Raiders’ first punt of the game. Not even sending the house after the punt, the Wildcats were able to break through the 3-man line of protection in front of punter Austin McNamara to get a hand on the kick. Set up at the Red Raider 14 to begin the ensuing drive, it would take the Cats just three plays to reach the endzone for a 7-0 lead.

Thus, these three kicking blunders resulted in a swing of 13 points. Had Tech made both FGs, they would have had 27 points, and had KSU not have blocked that punt, they may not have scored their first TD meaning that they would have ended up with just 24 points.

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Of course, plenty could have happened in between as games unfold in different ways depending on the outcome of every play. But it is easy to see that in a 10-point game, a 13-point swing for KSU proved to be massive.

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