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Texas Football: Longhorns Get Cathartic Win Over Texas Tech

Texas exorcizes its demons in a blowout victory over the Red Raiders

After falling into an early 14-0 hole, Texas exploded to score 49 of the next 59 points and blow past Texas Tech 49-24 at Darrell K. Royal Stadium in Austin. 

What started as a first-half shootout eventually evolved into a cathartic and dominant win for the Longhorns as they took out a season's worth of frustrations on the Red Raiders and moved to 7-5 on the season. 

It looked early as though Texas would be on the wrong end of a blowout as Texas Tech got Texas off the field twice on defense and marched up and down the field to go up by two early scores, but the Longhorns clawed back into the game when Sam Ehlinger hit a 36-yard pass to Malcolm Epps to open up the offense.  

The Longhorns cashed that drive in for a score on a 10-yard Ehlinger run, but the extra point was blocked to make it 14-6. 

After its first defensive stop of the day, the Longhorns went right back to work on offense, highlighted by a 35-yard pass from Ehlinger to Duvernay to get into the red zone and a three-yard Daniel Young scamper in to the end zone. Ehlinger hit Duvernay again for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14-14. 

Texas Tech drove the length of the field after the ensuing kickoff, but the Texas defense was able to flex its muscles, getting three stops inside the 3-yard line including an incomplete fourth-down throw from Jet Duffy to T.J. Vasher to keep the score tied. 

After a Texas punt the Red Raiders were able to find paydirt on a 24-yard pass from Duffy to Erik Ezukanma to make the score 21-14, but the rest of the day would belong to the Longhorns. 

Ehlinger and Duvernay hooked up on a 75-yard pass just one play later to tie the game again, then after another Texas stop the Longhorns drove the length of the field with a 13-play, 74-yard drive to take the lead at 28-21 right before halftime. 

After stopping Texas Tech on another fourth down in the red zone, the Longhorns turned their first possession of the second half into points in less than two minutes when Ehlinger hit Jake Smith for a 16-yard score that made the score 35-21. 

Texas Tech responded with a field goal, then the Longhorns went right back to work, marching  74 yards on nine plays and scoring on a 1-yard run from Roschon Johnson that made it 42-24. 

Marqez Bimage forced a fumble recovered by T'Vondre Sweat set Texas up deep in Tech territory. Ehlinger hit Duvernay for 21 yards then Roschon Johnson finished the drive with a 1-yard score to provide the final score.