Lightning Strikes Beavers: #21 Texas Tech Blasts Oregon State 45-14

A lightning delay postponed today’s Oregon State football game for over two hours. When the action resumed, Beaver fans likely wished the game was canceled instead.

#21 Texas Tech routed Oregon State 45-14, thanks to a buffet of football follies: errant throws, missed tackles, special teams miscues, and more.

After a dreaded three-and-out - caused by a pair of false starts from left tackle Jacob Anderson and right tackle Nathan Elu - the Beavers faced one of their biggest questions heading into today’s game: had they fixed their special teams troubles? A week removed from several long-snapping snafus, Trent Bray’s team tried a radical solution: instead of trying out the injured long snapper Dylan Black or his backup Jackson Robertson, they sent out Oregon State starting center Van Wells. For at least one punt, it was the correct decision. Wells’ snap reached punter AJ Winsor cleanly, and Winsor blasted the ball near midfield.

After solving one problem, another problem surfaced: lightning. At 2:47 PM local time, after just two Texas Tech plays from scrimmage - a scoreless tie with 12:28 remaining in the opening quarter - the game was halted by a lightning delay. 

Over two hours later, 5:10 PM local time, football returned.

Texas Tech’s offense wasted little time. After several short plays set up second-and-ten from the Oregon State 38, Red Raiders’ starting quarterback Behren Morton found wide receiver Coy Eakin open on a wheel route for a game-opening touchdown, 7-0 Texas Tech with 12:00 remaining in the first quarter. 

Oregon State’s second drive was only slightly more productive than their first effort - while they suffered no penalties, they threw three incomplete passes - and Wells & Winsor returned for another dramatic punt attempt. Winsor lined up only 8 yards behind the line of scrimmage, received another clean snap from Wells, and booted the ball away quickly. In the Beavers haste, they gave Texas Tech possession beyond midfield for the second time today.

Oregon State’s third drive followed the same formula: three-and-out. Entertainingly, the Beavers tested Texas Tech’s defense with a surprise quick kick quarterback punt by Maalik Murphy. His surprise kick pinned the Red Raiders inside their own half of the field.

Five plays and 79 yards later, Texas Tech raised their lead. Morton glimpsed man coverage on wide receiver Caleb Douglas, who broke a shoestring tackle attempt from Oregon State corner Jalil Tucker. Thanks to that 61-yard touchdown catch, Texas Tech led 14-0 with 6:27 left in the first quarter.

The Beavers responded with their best drive of the day so far, but couldn’t convert it into points. Halted at the Texas Tech 29-yard line, Trent Bray called out his field goal unit. Instead of Wells, backup linebacker and third-string long snapper Will Haverland trotted out onto the field. Haverland’s snap forced the holder AJ Winsor to reach across his body - throwing off the kick’s timing - and Ojeda hooked the ball wide. 

After each team traded interceptions, Texas Tech tacked onto their lead. Following an intentional grounding - Morton faced ferocious pressure from the Beavers defensive line - the Red Raiders faced third-and-26. They dialed up a screen pass for tailback J’Koby Williams, who followed a convoy of blockers en route to the end zone; 21-0 Texas Tech with 10:01 till halftime. 

Facing a third-and-22 on their next offensive possession, the Red Raiders tried another screen pass: Morton connected with tight end Terrance Carter Jr. for 24 yards. On 1st and goal, Williams punched in his 2nd touchdown of the day, 28-0 Texas Tech with 6:35 remaining in the first half. 

A Texas Tech two-minute drill was denied by an impressive tandem sack from Oregon State edge defenders Nikko Taylor and Shemar Meikle. After a Taz Reddicks catch moved the sticks on 3rd and long, Oregon State had the ball back in Caleb Ojeda’s field goal range, but the Beavers needed a touchdown. With just :22 left, Oregon State dialed up a deep passing play, but Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey sprang free and sacked Murphy for a 15-yard loss. The Beavers lacked timeouts, and were forced to bleed the clock out. Texas Tech led 28-0 at halftime.

Texas Tech converted the opening drive of the second half into more points. On first down from the Oregon State 23-yard line, Morton spotted his tight end Carter Jr. 1-on-1 versus USC graduate transfer inside linebacker Raesjon Davis. Then Carter Jr. faked an outside move, cut upfield, and made a dazzling catch in the endzone. Suddenly, it was 35-0 Texas Tech with 11:26 left in the third quarter.

After adding a field goal to climb ahead 38-0 entering the final quarter, Texas Tech subbed in their quarterback of the future, redshirt freshman  Will Hammond. He led another touchdown drive, this one capped off with a goalline smash by running back Cameron Dickey. As the clock showed 10:43 left in regulation, Oregon State trailed 45-0. 

Playing for pride with over six minutes remaining in the ballgame, Oregon State got on the board; on 1st & goal from the six, Murphy faked a handoff to freshman running back Kourdey Glass, then threw a touchdown pass to tight end Bryce Caufield. For Caufield, the Lakeridge HS (Lake Oswego, OR) alum, it was his second career Oregon State touchdown and his first of this season.

Following an interception by Oregon State defensive back Harlem Howard - with credit due to edge rusher Shamar Meikle, who hit Hammond right as he threw it up - the Beavers had another opportunity to score before time expired. On fourth-and-seven, Murphy busted an all-out blitz with a pass to Tigard native Karson Boschma, who shook his defender and sprinted into the end zone. The score marked Boschma’s first career Oregon State touchdown, and it finished the day’s scoring, 45-14 Texas Tech.

Oregon State drops to 0-3. The Beavers face their arch-rivals #4 Oregon next Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. The game will kick off at noon PT, Saturday on Big Ten Network.