Longhorns down Red Raiders, 24-14

Saturday, September 18

Lubbock, Texas

7:00 PM

University of Texas

3-0 , 1-0

Texas Tech

2-1 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Texas

Texas Tech

09.18.2010 | Football

Box Score

Sept. 18, 2010

Box Score | Quotes | Notes |

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LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Garrett Gilbert threw for two touchdowns and 227 yards to lead No. 6 Texas past Texas Tech 24-14 in Lubbock Saturday night.

Texas put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter after draining more than nine minutes off the clock. The 22-play drive included a risky and successful fake punt on fourth-and-1 on its own 29.

Gilbert capped the march with a 1-yard pass to Barrett Matthews to give the Horns a 24-14 lead with 9:26 left. Gilbert finished 21 of 36 with three interceptions.

The game included seven turnovers, four by the Longhorns (3-0, 1-0) and three by the Red Raiders (2-1, 0-1).

Texas got a field goal and a touchdown off two Texas Tech turnovers. Red Raiders cornerback Jarvis Phillips intercepted Gilbert twice and returned one 87 yards for a score.

Taylor Potts finished 21 of 35 for 159 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions for Tech.

Potts left the game briefly with what appeared to be an injury to his right hand. Backup Steven Sheffield came into the game for one series and was sacked for a 13-yard loss on his third snap.

In the opening drive of the third quarter Curtis Brown intercepted a pass from Potts at the Texas 14 and it appeared he would scamper for a touchdown. But Baron Batch caught up with Brown and tackled him at the Texas Tech 14. The Longhorns kicked a field goal to make it 17-14.

On the long drive that put Texas up 24-14, they got help from Will Ford on a third-and-13 from the Red Raiders 27. Gilbert's pass to Greg Smith fell incomplete, but Ford was called for a taunting penalty to give Texas a first down and another shot to get a score. A few plays later Gilbert hit Matthews with a lob pass for the touchdown.

James Kirkendoll had six catches for 122 yards for Texas.

Texas coach Mack Brown wanted more points early -- the Longhorns had scored only a field goal in the opening quarters of the first two games -- and he got them. In the first 7:30 of the game Texas had two touchdowns.

On Texas Tech's first play from scrimmage, the snap went over the head of Potts and was recovered by Jackson Jeffcoat at the Red Raiders 7. On the next play Fozzy Whittaker rushed it in, stretching his arm across the goal line to put the Horns up 7-0.

Texas Tech couldn't get a first down and when Texas got the ball to Gilbert he led the Longhorns on 79-yard scoring drive, including a 33-yard pass to Kirkendoll. Gilbert rolled out to his right and hit Mike Davis for a 7-yard score to put Texas up 14-0.

Three Texas turnovers, all interceptions within a minute's span, seemed to bring the Texas Tech defense to life.

Gilbert had the Longhorns at the Red Raiders 20 when Scott Smith intercepted him at the 13. On the next play Potts got his second turnover when Blake Gideon plucked the ball at UT's 43 and returned it 22 yards.

Four plays later, with the Longhorns threatening again at the Red Raiders 19, Smith tipped the ball and cornerback Phillips Jarvis grabbed it and scooted 87 yards along the near sideline to pull the Red Raiders within 14-7 with 1:39 left in the first quarter.

The Longhorns were forced to punt on their next drive. Batch's 25-yard run put the Red Raiders on UT's 43 and a few plays later Potts threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to the corner of the end zone and his high school teammate, Lyle Leong, pulled it in to tie the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter.