Texas Tech beats Kansas 16-13

TWITTER: Follow pchristy11 for live updates during the game!

=====

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) are down to their final three games of the season. Tech heads to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on the No. 16 Jayhawks (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Saturday.

Tech is coming off of a 35-28 win at home over the TCU Horned Frogs. The Red Raiders improved to 4-1 in the month of November with coach Joey McGuire at the helm. Overall, Tech leads the all-time series against Kansas, 22-2, with a record of 11-1 in Lawrence.

A quick fun fact, the first meeting between the two programs took place on Sept. 18, 1965. Tech won the game, 26-7, with 35,300 in the stands in Lubbock. But according to Tech Athletics, it was the first game to utilize replay from analog disk storage. The first time a game ever tried to use a replay function was on Dec. 7, 1963, during the traditional Army-Navy game. However, the system used for that game was a 1,300-pound videotape machine, which only one touchdown was available for replay after technical difficulties.

Back to the near-present, the last time the Jayhawks took down the Red Raiders was in 2019 in Lawrence, 37-34. Since, Tech restarted its winning streak looking to extend it to four games this weekend.

Behren Morton made his return at quarterback against TCU after dealing with a shoulder injury for a few weeks. Morton has thrown for 10 touchdowns, 978 yards on his 96-of-155 mark on the year so far with only two interceptions.

Kansas QB Jason Bean is rolling for Rock Chalk with two-straight victories including an upset over then-ranked No. 6 Oklahoma on Oct. 28. Bean has thrown for 1,418 yards on the year so far going 91-of-150 with 10 touchdowns of his own.

The shining offensive weapon through 2023 for the Red Raiders is running back Tahj Brooks. He needs only 80 yards to match DeAndre Washington’s spot at 10 on the all-time Tech rushing list. He is only the second Tech rusher since 2000 - the other being Washington - to go over 1,000 yards on the ground.

Devin Neal is the Kansas leading back with 828 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. He scored twice in Kansas’ last outing and win over Iowa State. Against the Sooners, Neal scored the final touchdown of the game with 58 seconds left securing the upset.

Defensively, the Red Raiders are No. 5 in the Big 12 Conference in total defense. Kansas trails in that category coming in at No. 9. But, the Jayhawk defense is tied with six other Power Five programs for the most defensive touchdowns in the country with four.

Tech is led on defense by freshman linebacker Ben Roberts. He has accounted for a team-leading 72 tackles in 2023, putting him on pace to be the second Red Raider to lead the team in tackles their freshman year during the Big 12 ear, according to Tech Athletics. Jordyn Brooks was the first.

Kansas leans on safety Kenny Logan Jr. to wrap up the opponent with a team-leading 61 tackles. He’s led the team in tackles the past three season, according to Kansas Athletics. Against Iowa state, he broke the Kansas school record for most career tackles by a defensive back with 351.

In the trenches, Tech has one of the most experienced interior duos in the country between Jaylon Hutchings and Tony Bradford Jr. The duo goes into this Saturday’s game with a total of 89 starts and 110 game appearances combined in their careers. Hutchings has made 55-straight starts for the second-longest streak in the FBS.

Tech looks to come back to Lubbock with a win for momentum moving forward with only two games remaining on the schedule - meaning only two more chances at becoming bowl eligible.

Copyright 2023 KCBD. All rights reserved.