The 2012 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University as member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Tommy Tuberville in his third and final season as head coach the Red Raiders compiled an overall record of 8–5 with a mark 4–5 conference play, placing in a four-way tie for fifth place in Big 12. Texas Tech was invited to the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, where they defeated Minnesota. The team played home games at Jones AT&T Stadium on the university's campus in Lubbock, Texas.
At the end of the regular season, Tuberville resigned to take the same position at Cincinnati. Offensive line coach Chris Thomsen served as interim head coach for the team's bowl game. Former Red Raider quarterback and Texas A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was hired as the new head coach for the 2013 season.
Preseason Award watch lists Seth Doege: Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Walter Camp Award, Manning AwardBig 12 lands 11 on Maxwell watch list – Big 12 Blog – ESPN LaAdrian Waddle: Outland Trophy Eric Ward: Biletnikoff Award
Coaching changes Defensive Coordinator: Art Kaufman replaces Chad Glasgow Defensive Line: Fred Tate replaces Sam McElroy Offensive Line: Chris Thomsen replaces Matt Moore Secondary: John Lovett replaces Otis Mounds
Schedule
Denotes the largest crowd to watch a football game at Jones AT&T Stadium, beating a previous record set earlier in the season in Oklahoma game.
Rankings
Game summaries Northwestern State
Sources:
Statistics NWSTTTU First downs 6 37 Total yards 84 500 Rushing yards 13 179 Passing yards 71 321 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 23:56 36:04 Team Category Player Statistics Northwestern State Passing Brad Henderson 10/19, 70 yards Rushing Brad Henderson 11 rushes, 6 yards Receiving Phillip Harvey 4 receptions, 35 yards Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 23/34, 199 yards, TD, INT Rushing Kenny Williams 15 rushes, 74 yards Receiving Bradley Marquez 7 receptions, 92 yards
The Red Raiders set a school record for total yards allowed in a game, with only 84 being given up to the Demons. Eric Stephens scored a pair of first-half touchdowns and Kenny Williams scored on pass from Seth Doege as the Raiders opened a 24–3 halftime lead. Doege left the game before the end of the third quarter, and his replacement, Michael Brewer, threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to Marcus Kennard as Texas Tech completed the season-opening rout.
At Texas State
Sources:
Statistics TTUTXST First downs 32 16 Total yards 591 270 Rushing yards 186 129 Passing yards 405 141 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:57 32:03 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 25/32, 319 yards, 5 TD Rushing Kenny Williams 5 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Javon Bell 5 receptions, 81 yards, TD Texas State Passing Tyler Arndt 12/22, 130 yards, TD, INT Rushing Shaun Rutherford 9 rushes, 35 yards Receiving Terrence Franks 2 receptions, 38 yards, TD
Texas State came into the game after a dominating 30–13 upset over Houston, and with a capacity crowd in a newly renovated stadium in their first year in the NCAA FBS division. But Texas Tech jumped out to a quick 14–0 lead less than 5 minutes into the game, and opened a 28–0 lead halfway through the second quarter. Seth Doege threw for 319 yards and 5 touchdown passes before being pulled from action in the third quarter, and Texas Tech's defense held Texas State to just 270 total yards of offense. Cody Davis had an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown to lead Texas Tech's defense.
New Mexico
Sources:
Statistics UNMTTU First downs 8 38 Total yards 127 702 Rushing yards 84 325 Passing yards 43 377 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 25:43 34:17 Team Category Player Statistics New Mexico Passing B. R. Holbrook 6/11, 43 yards Rushing Cole Gautsche 8 rushes, 36 yards Receiving Carlos Wiggins 3 receptions, 33 yards Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 27/35, 340 yards, 6 TD Rushing Eric Stephens 12 rushes, 118 yards, TD Receiving Eric Ward 5 receptions, 90 yards, 3 TD
The Texas Tech Red Raiders faced the New Mexico Lobos, under new head coach Bob Davie, on Texas Tech's Family Day at Jones AT&T Stadium. Seth Doege threw for 340 yards and 6 touchdowns in a dominating performance for the Texas Tech offense in the first three quarters. Doege tossed three touchdown passes to Eric Ward in the first half, and added touchdown passes to Jace Amaro and Darrin Moore before halftime. New Mexico got a second-quarter touchdown run and a long kickoff return for a touchdown to pull within 28–14 with 2:06 remaining in the second quarter, but Texas Tech pulled ahead to a 42–14 lead with two touchdowns in the final minute before halftime. Doege threw another touchdown pass to tight end Jace Amaro on Texas Tech's first possession in the second half before going to the sidelines with 11 minutes left in the third quarter. Tech's defense held UNM to only 170 total yards and just 43 yards passing.
At Iowa State
Sources:
Statistics TTUISU First downs 20 13 Total yards 395 189 Rushing yards 63 116 Passing yards 332 73 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 34:37 25:23 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 30/46, 331 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Kenny Williams 15 rushes, 80 yards Receiving Eric Ward 9 receptions, 122 yards, TD Iowa State Passing Steele Jantz 10/20, 73 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing James White 9 rushes, 57 yards Receiving James White 4 receptions, 30 yards
Coming into the game, Texas Tech was ranked first in total defense, and second in total offense. The Red Raiders held the Cyclones to 189 yards of total offense. Senior cornerback Cornelius Douglas earned recognition as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after recording two interceptions. Douglas is the first Red Raider defensive player to earn the honor since Daniel Charbonnet in 2008. Douglas was also named as the Jim Thorpe Defensive Back Of The Week.
No. 17 Oklahoma
Sources:
Statistics OKLATTU First downs 22 21 Total yards 380 360 Rushing yards 121 89 Passing yards 259 271 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 29:38 30:22 Team Category Player Statistics Oklahoma Passing Landry Jones 25/40, 259 yards, 2 TD Rushing Damien Williams 14 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Damien Williams 6 receptions, 82 yards Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 22/36, 203 yards, 3 INT Rushing Sadale Foster 11 rushes, 44 yards, TD Receiving Darrin Moore 5 receptions, 80 yards
Texas Tech came into the game with the nation's No. 1-ranked defense, but it was Oklahoma's defense that shut down Texas Tech's offense in the Raiders' first loss of the season. The game was played in cold, windy weather before a Jones AT&T Stadium record crowd of 60,800. Texas Tech held a 10–7 lead early in the second quarter on a 35-yard field goal by Ryan Bustin and a 7-yard touchdown run by Kenny Williams, but Oklahoma answered with a Blake Bell touchdown run to take a 14–10 lead. The Sooners took a 24–13 halftime lead and outscored Texas Tech 17–0 in the third quarter, and the OU defense intercepted Seth Doege three times.
No. 5 West Virginia
Statistics WVUTTU First downs 25 30 Total yards 408 676 Rushing yards 130 168 Passing yards 278 508 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 30:18 29:42 Team Category Player Statistics West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 29/55, 275 yards, TD Rushing Andrew Buie 21 rushes, 71 yards Receiving Tavon Austin 9 receptions, 99 yards Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 32/42, 499 yards, 6 TD, INT Rushing Sadale Foster 10 rushes, 82 yards, TD Receiving Jace Amaro 5 receptions, 156 yards, TD
Starting quarterback Seth Doege threw for a career-high 504 yards, and tied his career high with 6 touchdown passes. The team was also named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week. Tech's defense gave up 275 yards to Heisman Trophy front-runner Geno Smith, but only one touchdown pass. Three of Doege's touchdown passes went to Darrin Moore, and Jace Amaro had 5 catches for 156 yards and one touchdown. Sadale Foster's 53-yard touchdown run shortly before halftime gave the Raiders a 35–7 halftime lead as Texas Tech won its Homecoming game. Doege earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors, as well as being named the Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week. Safety Cody Davis was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. CBS Sports named Tuberville the Big XII "Coach of the Week" after the victory.
At TCU
Statistics TTUTCU First downs 21 28 Total yards 389 516 Rushing yards 71 184 Passing yards 318 332 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 27:43 32:17 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 30/42, 318 yards, 7 TD Rushing Kenny Williams 6 rushes, 47 yards, TD Receiving Darrin Moore 5 receptions, 63 yards, TD TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 26/44, 332 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing B. J. Catalon 12 rushes, 72 yards Receiving Skye Dawson 10 receptions, 154 yards, TD
Quarterback Seth Doege threw for a new career high 7 touchdowns in the triple overtime victory and was named as a semi-finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, won the Capital One Cup Impact Performance of the Week, and was named the AT&T All America Player of the Week. The game was the first in the history of either school to have three overtime periods, and the combined score was the highest in Texas Tech history since 1950.
At No. 4 Kansas State
Statistics TTUKSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Rushing Receiving Kansas State Passing Rushing Receiving
Texas
Statistics TEXTTU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Texas Passing Rushing Receiving Texas Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
Kansas
Statistics KUTTU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Kansas Passing Rushing Receiving Texas Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
Texas Tech came into the Kansas game after consecutive losses to ranked teams (Texas and Kansas State). In the final home game for the 2012 seniors, Seth Doege threw for 476 yards and three touchdowns as the Red Raiders survived the upset bid from the Jayhawks. Doege threw his three touchdown passes to Jakeem Grant, Tyson Williams and Darrin Moore in the first half as Texas Tech built a 21–7 lead midway through the second quarter. Texas Tech had the ball and was in position to drive for another score, but a Doege interception gave the Jayhawks new life and they closed to within 21–17 at the half. Texas Tech's offense stalled in the red zone in the second half as they managed only a pair of field goals. Kansas tied the score on a field goal with 41 seconds remaining, but Doege and the Raiders responded, driving into field goal position in the closing seconds of the game. However, a 41-yard Ryan Bustin field goal attempt barely missed to the left as time ran out. In the first overtime, the Jayhawks scored on a screen pass from Michael Cummings to star running back James Sims, and the Raiders tied things up with senior Eric Stephens' touchdown run and Bustin's extra point. In the second overtime, the Raiders scored on a "wildcat" formation trick play, with Stephens throwing to Darrin Moore for the go-ahead touchdown. Texas Tech's defense made a stand on Kansas' ensuing possession, shutting down three running attempts to set up a fourth down from the 24-yard line. Cummings' pass to the end zone was knocked down, and Texas Tech improved its record to 7–3 for the season.
At Oklahoma State
Statistics TTUOKST First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Rushing Receiving Oklahoma State Passing Rushing Receiving
Vs. Baylor
Statistics BAYTTU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession