Texas Tech football: Five hidden moments in victory over Murray State

Murray State’s penalty on 3rd down keeps TTU drive alive

While Murray State could have ended Tech’s second drive of the game by jumping on Fouonji’s fumble, they also could have held Tech to just a field goal try on that possession.  In fact, the Racers almost came up with a third-down stop three plays after the fumble but a penalty kept Tech in business.

On the 3rd-and-8 play, Shough rolled to his right and threw a 50/50 ball to Bradley in the endzone but a Murray State defender broke the pass up.  The problem was that the defender had his back completely turned to the ball and never pivoted to make a play on it.   What’s more, he had his hands on Bradley.  Therefore, it was an easy holding penalty for the official to call.  One play later, Tahj Brooks would scamper 14 yards for Tech’s second TD.

For the game, Murray State had just six penalties for 55 yards.  Meanwhile, Tech had nine for 65 yards.

The difference was though that most of Murray State’s came in the first half and proved to be pivotal.  This one, in particular, kept Tech from having to try a field goal, something that this year’s team does not necessarily have nailed as the season opens.

Had Tech not been gifted this penalty, the subsequent field goal try would have been 42 yards.  In other words, it wouldn’t have been a chip-shot for whichever kicker attempted it.

Given how lopsided this game would turn out to be, it would have been nice for the Red Raiders to try at least one field goal just to see how either Trey Wolfe or Gino Garcia would have handled the situation.  But as it played out, Tech didn’t have an opportunity to kick one on Saturday meaning that the first FG try of the year could be a pressure-packed kick this weekend against Houston.

As it were, Tech would find the endzone on its second drive of the night to take an early two-TD lead, one that it would not relinquish.  And that was all because of a penalty on the Racers that kept the drive alive.