Texas Tech took a week’s worth of frustration out on in-state foe North Texas on Saturday in a 66-21 home romp that was decided by halftime.
Stung by a lopsided loss at Washington State the week before, the Red Raiders clicked on all fronts on the way to a 598-yard offensive explosion.
Ahead 17-7 after an efficient first quarter, Texas Tech (2-1) scored 35 points in the second quarter to match a school record for points in a quarter. That led to a 52-point half, which equaled a school record.
The Mean Green (2-1) had no answer for the Red Raiders’ offense, which generated 415 total yards in the opening 30 minutes, paced by Behren Morton’s 15-of-19 passing for 273 yards and four touchdown passes. Morton also ran for a 10-yard score. Tahj Boyd, back in action after missing last week’s loss, gashed UNT for 109 yards on the ground. Neither played a down in the second half as the Red Raiders unloaded the bench.
Not to be outdone, Texas Tech’s beleaguered defense also delivered. After allowing 89 points in the first two games, the Red Raiders frustrated Chandler Morris into three first-half interceptions, one that Bralyn Lux rambled 44 yards the other way with for the second of three Texas Tech touchdowns in a 52-second span of the second frame.
Morris and the high-octane Eagles’ offense never got into a rhythm, with the quarterback throwing for a season-low 162 yards on 15-of-27 passing. Morris threw two touchdowns to give him nine on the season.
UNT was in position to whittle the lead to 17-10 early in the second but Kali Nguma’s 26-yard field goal went wide right. Two plays later, Morton zipped a pass to Coy Eakin on a sideline fly and he turned into a career-long 70-yard touchdown reception to pop the cork on the record-setting scoring onslaught.
Texas Tech got rolling quickly with a touchdown on their opening series when Morton rifled a picture-perfect 10-yard touchdown pass to Josh Kelly on a post pattern, finishing off a 56-yard drive that got a boost when the Eagles were flagged for fair catch interference.
