The 2022 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Red Raiders played their home games at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Joey McGuire.
The Red Raiders finished the regular season 7–5, 5–4 in Big 12 play, for the program's first winning conference record since 2009. Additionally, Texas Tech defeated Texas and Oklahoma in the same season for the first time in program history. The Red Raiders were invited to the Texas Bowl, defeating Ole Miss 42–25. Defensive lineman Tyree Wilson was named All-Big 12 First Team and defensive back Malik Dunlap was named All-Big 12 Second Team.
Offseason
Coaching changes Following a 24–25 loss to Kansas State in the eighth week of the 2021 season, head coach Matt Wells was fired on October 25. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie was named interim head coach for the rest of the 2021 season. On November 8, Joey McGuire was hired as the Red Raider's new head coach, having previously been the associate head coach and outside linebackers coach for the Baylor Bears. On November 24, McGuire announced that he would be retaining Cumbie as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. However, Cumbie was hired as the head coach at Louisiana Tech University on November 30. Running backs coach DeAndre Smith, father of quarterback Donovan Smith, was retained by McGuire. On December 5, Virginia Tech announced that it had hired co-defensive coordinator Derek Jones. The following day it was announced that head defensive coordinator Keith Patterson had been hired as the head coach at Abilene Christian. DeAndre Smith was later hired as the New York Giants' running backs coach on February 11, 2022.
Recruiting class References:
Transfers Outgoing Name No. Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown New school Henry Colombi 6 QB 6'2" 205 RS Senior Hollywood, FL Marshall Sterling Galban 22 WR 5'11 180 RS Junior Burnet, TX Jacksonville State Nelson Mbanasor 91 DL 6'3 275 RS Senior Lufkin, TX Louisiana Tech Maverick McIvor 8 QB 6'3 215 RS Sophomore San Angelo, TX Abilene Christian
Incoming Name No. Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Prev. school Blake Bedwell 28 RB 5'10" 194 RS Freshman Amarillo, TX SMU Brady Boyd 14 WR 6'1" 185 Freshman Southlake, TX Minnesota Jordan Brown 18 WR 5'11" 185 Freshman DeSoto, TX Kansas Cade Briggs 73 OL 6'3" 295 Sophomore Las Vegas, NV New Mexico Ty Buchanan 75 OL 6'6 285 Freshman Corpus Christi, TX USC Myles Cole 5 DE 6'6" 280 Senior Shreveport, LA Louisiana–Monroe Baylor Cupp 88 TE 6'7 245 Sophomore Brock, TX Texas A&M James Grando 11 LB 6'2" 205 Sophomore Arlington, TX Cisco J. C. Drew Hocutt 83 WR 6'0" 190 RS Freshman Lubbock, TX Angelo State Monroe Mills 71 OL 6'6" 300 RS Freshman Columbia, MO Oklahoma State Dimitri Moore 3 LB 6'3" 208 Senior Cedar Hill, TX Missouri State Joshua Moore 6 WR 6'1" 169 Sophomore Yoakum, TX Texas Tyler Owens 44 S 6'2" 204 Junior Plano, TX Texas Jacob Rodriguez 98 LB 6'1" 200 Freshman Wichita Falls, TX Virginia Michael Shanahan 66 OT 6'5" 310 Sophomore Orlando, FL UT Martin Haydon Wiginton 83 WR 5'11" 180 Freshman Midloathian, TX Oklahoma State Dennis Wilburn 56 OL 6'3" 320 Sophomore Humble, TX Hutchinson C. C.
Preseason
Big 12 media poll The preseason poll was released on July 7, 2022. Big 12 media poll 1 Baylor 365 (17) 2 Oklahoma 354 (12) 3 Oklahoma State 342 (9) 4 Texas 289 (2) 5 Kansas State 261 6 Iowa State 180 (1) 7 TCU 149 8 West Virginia 147 9 Texas Tech 119 10 Kansas 48
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released John Mackey AwardBaylor CuppTEJROutland TrophyCole SpencerOTSRRay Guy AwardAustin McNamaraPSRPaul Hornung AwardMyles PriceWRJRWuerffel TrophyTony Bradford Jr.DLSRBednarik AwardTyree WilsonLBSREarl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Tahj BrooksRBJRMyles PriceWRSaRodorick ThompsonRBSRJohnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardTyler ShoughQBSRRotary Lombardi AwardTyree WilsonOLBSR
Schedule Texas Tech and the Big 12 announced the 2022 football schedule on December 1, 2021.
Schedule source:
Personnel
Game summaries
Murray State
Statistics MURTTU First downs 10 29 Total yards 258 605 Rushing yards 50 133 Passing yards 208 472 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 34:11 25:49 Team Category Player Statistics Murray State Passing D. J. Williams 8/16, 207 yards, TD Rushing Damonta Witherspoon 13 rushes, 39 yards Receiving Jacob Bell 2 receptions, 76 yards, TD Texas Tech Passing Donovan Smith 14/16, 221 yards, 4 TD Rushing Tahj Brooks 6 rushes, 50 yards, 3 TD Receiving Loic Fouonji 4 receptions, 110 yards, 2 TD
Tyler Shough started at quarterback for the Red Raiders but exited the game at the end of the first quarter due to a possible injury. Donovan Smith then came in at quarterback and quickly scored with a 30-yard pass to Jerand Bradley. Murray State's starting quarterback, D. J. Williams, would also be injured, as his right leg gave out on a sack on the last play of the first half. With the Red Raiders up 56–10, Smith exited the game midway through the third quarter and was relieved by Behren Morton. The three Texas Tech quarterbacks went for a combined 27/36 for 472 yards, 6 touchdowns, and one interception.
No. 25 Houston
Statistics HOUTTU First downs 15 35 Total yards 353 468 Rushing yards 87 118 Passing yards 266 350 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 22:42 37:18 Team Category Player Statistics Houston Passing Clayton Tune 20/39, 266 yards, TD, INT Rushing Brandon Campbell 16 rushes, 80 yards, TD Receiving Tank Dell 7 receptions, 120 yards Texas Tech Passing Donovan Smith 36/58, 350 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Tahj Brooks 17 rushes, 78 yards, TD Receiving Myles Price 5 receptions, 78 yards, TD
This was the Red Raiders' first win over a ranked opponent since 2019 and first win over a ranked non-conference opponent since 1989.
At No. 16 NC State
Statistics TTUNCST First downs 20 15 Total yards 353 270 Rushing yards 54 111 Passing yards 299 159 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 26:56 33:04 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Donovan Smith 21/36, 214 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing SaRodorick Thompson 9 rushes, 39 yards Receiving Myles Price 4 receptions, 50 yards, TD NC State Passing Devin Leary 15/23, 121 yards Rushing Jordan Houston 13 rushes, 57 yards Receiving Demie Sumo-Karngbaye 4 receptions, 93 yards, TD
No. 22 Texas
Statistics TEXTTU First downs 20 31 Total yards 428 479 Rushing yards 151 148 Passing yards 277 331 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 24:06 35:54 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Passing Hudson Card 20/30, 277 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Bijan Robinson 16 rushes, 103 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jordan Whittington 4 receptions, 53 yards Texas Tech Passing Donovan Smith 38/56, 331 yards, 2 TD Rushing SaRodorick Thompson 17 rushes, 70 yards, TD Receiving Myles Price 13 receptions, 98 yards
This was Texas Tech's first win over Texas in Lubbock since 2008. Texas Tech narrowed the Longhorns' lead in the all-time series to 16 wins against 52 losses in the 68-game in-state rivalry.
Although the Red Raiders held a 14–10 lead early in the second quarter, they trailed 24–14 at halftime. Trailing 31–24 after three quarters, Texas Tech tied the game on a Donavan Smith pass to Baylor Cupp, and then took a 34–31 lead late in the 4th quarter on a Trey Wolff 45-yard field goal. The Red Raiders appeared to have the game in hand as the Longhorns got the ball with just 21 seconds left in the 4th quarter at the Tech 29-yard line. But the Longhorns drove 46 yards in three plays and got a long field goal as time ran out to force overtime. In overtime, the Red Raiders won the coin toss and elected to play on defense first. The strategy paid off when linebacker Krishon Merriweather's hard hit on all-conference tailback Bijon Robinson forced a fumble that was recovered by defensive back Reggie Pierson Jr. Texas Tech's SaRodorick Thompson gained 17 yards on Tech's first offensive play in overtime, setting up Trey Wolff's game-winning field goal.
At No. 25 Kansas State
Statistics TTUKSU First downs 26 15 Total yards 473 459 Rushing yards 114 343 Passing yards 359 116 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 32:26 27:34 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Donovan Smith 34/48, 359 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing SaRodorick Thompson 6 rushes, 55 yards Receiving Xavier White 9 receptions, 120 yards, TD Kansas State Passing Adrian Martinez 12/19, 116 yards, TD Rushing Adrian Martinez 12 rushes, 171 yards, 3 TD Receiving Kade Warner 3 receptions, 47 yards
At No. 7 Oklahoma State
Statistics TTUOKST First downs 30 25 Total yards 527 434 Rushing yards 148 137 Passing yards 379 297 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:02 27:58 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Behren Morton 39/62, 379 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing SaRodorick Thompson 20 rushes, 87 yards, TD Receiving Jerand Bradley 8 receptions, 119 yards, TD Oklahoma State Passing Spencer Sanders 22/45, 297 yards, TD Rushing Dominic Richardson 19 rushes, 67 yards, TD Receiving Bryson Green 5 receptions, 115 yards, TD
West Virginia
Statistics TEXTTU First downs 19 33 Total yards 282 594 Rushing yards 73 239 Passing yards 209 355 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 26:09 33:51 Team Category Player Statistics West Virginia Passing JT Daniels 23/36, 194 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Tony Mathis Jr. 7 rushes, 33 yards Receiving Bryce Ford-Wheaton 5 receptions, 53 yards, TD Texas Tech Passing Behren Morton 28/45, 325 yards, 2 TD Rushing Tahj Brooks 17 rushes, 107 yards, 2 TD Receiving Xavier White 8 receptions, 139 yards, TD
Baylor
Statistics BAYTTU First downs 27 23 Total yards 442 308 Rushing yards 231 149 Passing yards 211 159 Turnovers 1 5 Time of possession 40:17 19:43 Team Category Player Statistics Baylor Passing Blake Shapen 19/30, 211 yards, TD Rushing Richard Reese 36 rushes, 148 yards, 3 TD Receiving Gavin Holmes 5 receptions, 77 yards Texas Tech Passing Behren Morton 11/34, 152 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Tahj Brooks 16 rushes, 98 yards Receiving Xavier White 2 receptions, 45 yards
At No. 7 TCU
Statistics TTUTCU First downs 20 24 Total yards 352 429 Rushing yards 195 234 Passing yards 157 195 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 25:21 34:39 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Tech Passing Behren Morton 7/10, 79 yards, TD Rushing Cam'Ron Valdez 3 rushes, 71 yards Receiving Jerand Bradley 2 receptions, 54 yards, TD TCU Passing Max Duggan 12/23, 195 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kendre Miller 21 rushes, 158 yards, TD Receiving Taye Barber 3 receptions, 62 yards
The Horned Frogs entered the game with an 8–0 record and a top-10 ranking. TCU took an early 7–0 lead on a long punt return, but starting quarterback Behren Morton pulled Tech even at 7–7 with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley. Trey Wolff added a short field goal to put Texas Tech up 10–7, but Morton suffered a lower body injury in the second quarter. He was replaced by Tyler Shough.
Tech's defense held the Horned Frogs scoreless in the third, with Jaylon Hutchings making a key sack against TCU's Max Duggan on a 4th-down play deep in Tech territory. Shough's 33-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Sparkman gave the Red Raiders a 17–13 lead going into the 4th quarter, but the Horned Frogs were able to drive 81 yards to retake the lead. Texas Tech, which committed just 6 penalties in the game, was flagged three times on TCU's go-ahead drive. The drive was extended in part by a blown call on a facemask penalty when Tech's Tyree Wilson sacked TCU's Max Duggan early in the drive deep in TCU territory. The Horned Frogs added two more Max Duggan touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Shough scored on a touchdown run late in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach as Tech fell to 4-5 for the season.
Kansas
Statistics KUTTU First downs 20 26 Total yards 525 510 Rushing yards 242 264 Passing yards 283 246 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 28:33 31:27