Tommy Castellanos gets the start and helps No. 13 Texas Tech to 34-26 win over No. 22 Arizona
Tommy Castellanos threw two touchdown passes and ran for 117 yards and a score as the starter over Will Hammond, and No. 13 Texas Tech beat No. 22 Arizona 34-26 in a matchup that was pivotal to the Big 12 title and College Football Playoff hopes of bot...
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Tommy Castellanos threw two touchdown passes and ran for 117 yards and a score as the starter over Will Hammond, and No. 13 Texas Tech beat No. 22 Arizona 34-26 on Saturday in a matchup that was pivotal to the Big 12 title and College Football Playoff hopes of both teams.
J'Koby Williams ran 64 yards for a decisive touchdown and finished with 175 yards as the Red Raiders (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) tied a school record with their 13th consecutive home victory a week after a loss to Cincinnati that led to the benching of Hammond.
Noah Fifita finished with 417 yards passing and a 94-yard touchdown to Isaiah Mizell, who 182 yards receiving in his third consecutive game with at least 100 yards — the first three of the sophomore's career.
The Wildcats (6-2, 3-2) had a five-game winning streak stopped while losing freshman receiver R.J. Mosley to an apparently serious left leg injury.
Both teams entered the game tied for second in the Big 12 behind undefeated No. 6 Utah.
Castellanos put Texas Tech ahead for good with a 27-yard scoring pass to Kenny Johnson on fourth-and-2 late in the third quarter. The Red Raiders took a 24-23 lead because Ansel Nedore blocked the PAT kick after Kedrick Reescano's go-ahead 1-yard touchdown run on the previous drive.
Arizona pulled within eight by kicking a field goal with 22 seconds remaining, but Quinten Joyner easily recovered the onside kick.
The takeaway
Arizona: The Wildcats were in position for a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter when Fifita overthrew an open Tyler Powell on fourth-and-1 from the Texas Tech 18-yard line. Although Arizona quickly got the ball back on Cameron Dickey's fumble, Fifita's offense went three-and-out thanks in part to a holding penalty on first down.
Texas Tech: Coach Joey McGuire appeared to make the right move by going with Castellanos over Hammond after the 37-24 loss to Cincinnati. He said after the game he was “as frustrated as I’ve ever been in 32 years of coaching” and showed it with the move to Castellanos. The Red Raiders responded with their first opening touchdown drive since the season opener on Castellanos' 24-yard toss to Terrance Carter Jr.
Up next
Arizona is home against TCU on Friday night.
Texas Tech hosts West Virginia next Saturday.
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