TUCSON, Ariz. — Tahj Brooks ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns, Jacob Rodriguez forced a late fumble and Texas Tech rallied after blowing a 15-point lead to beat Arizona 28-22 on Saturday night.
Texas Tech (5-1, 3-0 Big 12) got consistent pressure on Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, forcing him to get rid of the ball quickly or throw it away. The Red Raiders also intercepted two of his passes and forced a turnover on downs deep in their own end while building an 18-3 halftime lead.
The Wildcats' defense kept them within reach while the offense sputtered, forcing two Brooks' fumbles to take a 19-18 lead early in the fourth quarter.
They couldn't hold it.
After Arizona's Tyler Loop missed a 48-yard field goal, Texas Tech finally found a rhythm, setting up Gino Garcia's 41-yard field goal for a 21-19 lead.
Arizona (3-2, 1-1) took over at its own 25 with 2:21 left, but Rodriguez stripped Tetairoa McMillan on the first play and the Red Raiders recovered. Brooks then burst 32 yards up the middle for a touchdown, sending Texas Tech to its fourth straight win since losing to Washington State the second game of the season.
The Red Raiders are 3-0 in Big 12 play for the first time since 2013.
It looked like a runaway early.
Brooks scored on a 3-yard run in the first quarter and the Red Raiders spent the rest of the half shutting down the Wildcats.
Texas Tech held Arizona to a field goal late in the first quarter, then stopped the Wildcats on fourth-and-1 at the Red Raiders' 20. Texas Tech's Quincy Ledet intercepted a pass by Fifita that was tipped at the line of scrimmage and Brooks followed with his second TD run, from nine yards out.
Fifita had another pass intercepted by CJ Baskerville in the end zone late in the second quarter and Texas Tech marched quickly down the field for Garcia's last-second 30-yard field goal to lead 18-3.
Arizona moved into Texas Tech's end twice in the third quarter — the second after a fumble by Brooks at the 32 — and had to settle for two more field goals.
The Wildcats finally broke through when Quali Conley scored on a 3-yard run and forced another Boyd fumble — after a review overturned the original call — to set up Loop's 37-yard field goal for a 19-18 lead.
THE TAKEAWAY
Texas Tech tried to let a big lead slip away, but its defense came up big when it needed to and Brooks made up for his two fumbles with the late score. Arizona came to life in the second half, but was plagued by too many missed opportunities.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech: hosts Baylor next Saturday.
Arizona: plays at No. 17 BYU next Saturday.
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