Defense rests: No. 16 Oklahoma beats Texas Tech 66-59

 Baker Mayfield knew Texas Tech's offense would put up points Saturday night.

"I told some of the guys at halftime, `If you're scared and you don't want to score every drive, then stay in here,'" the Sooners quarterback said.

The only thing to stop No. 16 Oklahoma after that was the final whistle.

Mayfield passed for seven touchdowns and 545 yards to help the Sooners beat Texas Tech 66-59 in a game that broke the NCAA record for combined offensive yards with 1,708.

Mayfield completed 27 of 36 passes and broke the school game touchdown mark of six held by Landry Jones. His TD passes went for 56, 49, 23, 23, 43, 34 and 15 yards.

The Sooners scored on five of their six second-half possessions, and the exception was when they ran out the clock in the fourth quarter.

Joe Mixon caught three touchdowns passes and Dede Westbrook had two for the Sooners (5-2, 4-0 Big 12). Mixon also ran for two touchdowns, a 46-yarder and a 42-yarder. He finished with 263 yards rushing and 114 yards receiving. He's the first Sooner ever to reach 200 yards rushing and 100 receiving in the same game.

"I thought Joe Mixon just had a game for the ages," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. "Just incredible."

Westbrook caught nine passes for 202 yards.

"He's phenomenal," Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "He's just better than anybody we had on the field."

Pat Mahomes threw for five touchdowns and 734 yards for Texas Tech (3-4, 1-3). His passing yards total tied the NCAA record, matching Connor Halliday when Washington State played California in 2014.

"Someone told me (about tying the passing record) in the locker room," Mahomes said. "But, like I said, we didn't win the game, so it really didn't matter."

The 125 points are the second-most in a game involving a ranked team. The record is 133 in No. 9 West Virginia's 70-63 victory over No. 25 Baylor on Sept. 29, 2012.

The teams surpassed the 1,640 yards gained when Nevada played San Jose State in 2001.

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was disappointed in his unit.

"Everything we did, they had guys running free pretty much all night," he said. "We thought we were making improvements. To fall on our face like this, we've got to re-evaluate some things we're doing."

Kingsbury was glad the game wasn't an embarrassment that last week's 48-17 loss to West Virginia.

"I thought we were into it, a lot more passionate at least," he said. "I thought at least we had good energy."

THE TAKEAWAY

Oklahoma: The Sooners relied heavily on Mixon, who finished with 31 carries, and his work made it easier to be without Samaje Perine. Perine, who has six rushing TDs, is out for at least two weeks with a pulled leg muscle .

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders' defense, often derided as weak and porous, put together three stops against the Sooners in the first half. Texas Tech forced punts on two OU possessions and held the Sooners on fourth-and-1 when they stopped Mixon deep in Red Raiders territory.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Oklahoma likely won't move up much in the AP Top 25 poll after the win - Texas Tech hasn't been ranked this season - but the Red Raiders might get some votes after playing the Sooners so closely.

EVEN OFFENSE

Both teams finished with the same number of total yards - 854. The longest pass play by each quarterback was 56 yards. Mahomes had the most yards rushing: 85 to 19 for Mayfield.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma: The Sooners play Kansas at home next Saturday.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders face TCU in Fort Worth next Saturday.

No. 20 West Virginia unbeaten, drops Texas Tech 48-17

 Skyler Howard ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead No. 20 West Virginia past Texas Tech 48-17 on Saturday to keep the Mountaineers unbeaten and in the hunt for the Big 12 title.

The Mountaineers (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) held Texas Tech (3-3, 1-2) to its lowest offensive output this season, just 379 yards, and harassed quarterback Patrick Mahomes most of the day. He threw for 305 yards, his second-lowest passing total of the season, and was replaced in the fourth quarter by Nic Shimonek.

A 14-point turnaround in the second quarter helped the Mountaineers gain momentum. Sean Walters' interception at the West Virginia 11 led to a TD pass from Howard to Justin Crawford at the other end of the field to put the Mountaineers up 17-7.

"We made some plays, got a good lead," Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said. "We were able to control the ball and shorten the game. That's, in a perfect world, what we wanted to happen and that's what happened."

Howard completed 21 of 31 passes for 318 yards. Rushel Shell, who finished with 104 yards rushing for West Virginia, scored two rushing TDs in the fourth quarter as the Mountaineers pulled away. A

Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said his team's performance was embarrassing and not what he expected.

"It's the worst I've seen since I've been associated with Texas Tech," he said. "We seemed intimidated and they took it."

TAKEAWAYS

West Virginia: The Mountaineers improved their success dramatically in the red zone. Coming into the game, West Virginia had found the end zone on just eight of 18 trips inside opponents' 20 (44 percent). They scored on each of their eight trips there Saturday.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders' streak of nine home games with at least 50 points - an NCAA record - ended with this loss. Their offense was stymied in every facet by West Virginia's defense. Texas Tech's run game, which typically sets up the pass, was nearly nonexistent. They finished with just 34 rushing yards.

UP NEXT:

West Virginia: The Mountaineers host TCU next Saturday.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders host Oklahoma, which is led by former Texas Tech QB Baker Mayfield.

Wildcats shut down Texas Tech in second half for 44-38 win

 Kansas State scored touchdowns on defense and special teams, shut down high-flying Texas Tech in the second half and held on for a 44-38 victory over the Red Raiders on Saturday night.

Jesse Ertz scored on the ground and through the air, Charles Jones ran for 128 yards and another touchdown, and Matt McCrane hit three field goals as the Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) beat the Red Raiders (3-2, 1-1) for the fifth time in their last six meetings.

Patrick Mahomes, despite an ailing shoulder, still threw for 504 yards and two touchdowns while running for three more scores. But the Red Raiders' junior quarterback also threw a pick that was returned for seven and failed to convert three fourth downs in the second half.

The Wildcats' Byron Pringle returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score with 1:31 remaining in the half, giving Kansas State a 31-28 advantage.

Two questionable decisions by Texas Tech to go for it on fourth down proved to be pivotal.

The first came inside the Kansas State 5 on the first possession of the second half, when a field goal would have tied the game. The second came later in the third quarter, when a sack gave the Wildcats the ball at the Texas Tech 47 - and set them up for a touchdown that made it 38-31.

THE TAKEAWAY

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders can score with anybody, but they also can allow anybody to score with them. Kansas State barely sniffed the end zone in a 17-16 loss to West Virginia last week, but managed to go toe-to-toe with the high-powered Red Raiders most of the night.

Kansas State: The Wildcats' entered the game fourth nationally in total defense, and certainly looked like it in the second half. They gave up 363 yards and 28 points in the first half, but just 229 yards over the final 30 minutes.

UP NEXT

Texas Tech: West Virginia visits Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday.

Kansas State: No. 20 Oklahoma awaits the Wildcats on Saturday.

Mahomes, Shimonek each throw for 4 TDs to beat Kansas 55-19

Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury will be "very comfortable" if his backup quarterback has to take over for the starter for a while.

Backup quarterback Nic Shimonek threw for four touchdowns and 271 yards to lead Texas Texas past Kansas 55-19 Thursday night in each team's Big 12 opener.

"He steps in and plays his tail off," the fourth-year coach said about Shimonek. "He threw some incredible passes."

Shimonek came in after starter Patrick Mahomes, who also threw for four TDs, got injured in the third quarter.

Mahomes, who threw for 277 yards and had one interception, left the game after a 32-yard run that ended with him going down hard on his right shoulder. After being checked briefly on the sideline, he tried to throw one pass before going into the locker room for further evaluation.

Mahomes "could be OK," Kingsbury said. Asked how he knew that, Kingsbury said jokingly, '"cause I didn't see the trainer jump off the side of the stadium."

"We got to get him looked at more extensively," he said.

The backup's teammates think highly of Shimonek's work ethic.

"He never complains," said defensive back Justis Nelson. "I never hear a bad word coming out of his mouth. He knows all the plays and we don't lose a beat whenever he comes in."

Shimonek threw TDs for 4, 37, 31 and 59 yards, while Mahomes' scoring strikes were for 14, 18, 17 and 6.

Jonathan Giles led Texas Tech (3-1) with 12 catches for 219 yards.

"There's a reason their offense is second in the country," Kansas coach David Beaty said. "Those dudes can score fast."

Giles continues to be Texas Tech's go-to guy.

"They tried to double him at times, but he found a way to get open and once he gets it, he can do stuff with it," Kingsbury said.

The defeat for Kansas (1-3) made it 40 straight losses in games away from Lawrence, Kansas.

"That score did not show how the game went," quarterback Ryan Willis said. "I mean, hats off to them, they played their butts off, but we need to bounce back again. Some nights you win, some nights you lose."

The Red Raiders have scored at least 50 points in nine straight home games.

Beaty switched between QBs Montell Cozart and Ryan Willis.

"I'm sure everybody has their idea of who should be playing quarterback for us," Beaty said. "But we're with them every day. I evaluate them every day. I see them every day. Our staff sees them every day. We make decisions based on what we see, not what we want."

THE TAKEAWAY

KANSAS: The Jayhawks took some time to get going against a defense that was giving up 531.3 yards per game coming into the contest. They punted on their first six possessions and didn't get a touchdown until late in the first half after QB Ryan Willis came in for starter Montell Cozart.

TEXAS TECH: The Red Raiders offensive line struggled and penalties erased big plays. An ineligible receiver call against Texas Tech negated a 31-yard reception by Derrick Willlies late in the first half. There were also two false start penalties, including one that nixed a 36-yard catch by Reginald Davis that would have given the Red Raiders the ball at the Jayhawks 1. "I don't think our O-line played very well, and it's something we've got to address," Kingsbury said.

UP NEXT

KANSAS: The Jayhawks play host to No. 21 TCU on Oct. 8.

TEXAS TECH: The Red Raiders travel to Kansas State on Oct. 8.

Mahomes throws 5 TDs, Texas Tech beats Louisiana Tech 59-45

It's rare when pass-happy Texas Tech churns out more plays on the ground than in the air, but that's what happened Saturday night.

Patrick Mahomes threw for five touchdowns, three to Johnathan Giles, and ran for another to lead Texas Tech past Louisiana Tech 59-45.

"That was their defense," Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said of the 43-36 edge to running plays. "If they're going to give us a run, we're going to take it. We're going to do whatever the defense allows us to do."

Giles, who finished with six catches for 186 yards, said balance with the rush and pass takes pressure off Mahomes.

"I feel like it makes it easier for Pat just so he don't have to throw the ball a whole lot," he said. "And us as a receiver group, just blocking, being physical, if very fun."

Mahomes threw touchdown passes of 64, 36, 9, 42 and 4. The junior, who came into the game leading the nation in total offense, completed 26 of 36 passes for 470 yards.

Demarcus Felton rushed for 123 yards on 16 carries and had two touchdowns.

The Bulldogs fell behind 35-10 and couldn't quell the Red Raiders up-tempo offense enough to pull off a comeback. They got within 11 points twice.

"I thought our defense was a joke," Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz said.

Kingsbury said his team needs to get tougher and put opponents away.

"You can't have guys, particularly their best players, running wide open," he said.

The Red Raiders (2-1) didn't punt through three quarters and scored on six of their first seven possessions.

Jarred Craft had 151 yards on 21 carries and Trent Taylor caught six passes for 166 yards for the Bulldogs (1-2).

"Jarred did a phenomenal job, whether it was to start off a drive or a short play that he'd just bust open, he did a great job getting his holes, almost always making the first defender miss" quarterback Ryan Higgins said. "He kept us alive."

The Red Raiders pulled some razzle dazzle in the second quarter, running a double reverse that ended in Giles hands and brought him one of his three touchdowns - a 42-yarder.

"I stole that from Western Kentucky," Kingsbury said. "It was a great play they ran for a touchdown, so we repped it a ton. We had it but we weren't getting the right looks for it, and it just worked out tonight."

TAKEAWAYS:

LOUISIANA TECH: The Bulldogs' defense came into the game giving up just 295 total yards per game to rank 31st in the nation . Texas Tech moved the ball at will and had almost 100 yards more of offense than that (392), and led 35-17 at halftime.

TEXAS TECH: Ranked 117th in total defense coming into the game, Texas Tech showed improvement. The Bulldogs tallied 572 total yards, fewer than the 652 the Red Raiders gave up in their 68-55 loss at Arizona State last week. "I thought offensively we handled the situation better," Kingsbury said. "Everybody executed at a much higher level."

Holtz lauded Texas Tech's defense. "They ran a lot of coverages, they ran a lot of fronts," he said. "They do as much as any defense I've ever seen. They ran I don't know how many coverages tonight, but you couldn't attack what they were doing."

UP NEXT:

LOUISIANA TECH: The Bulldogs continue their road games when they travel to Middle Tennessee.

TEXAS TECH: The Red Raiders have a bye next week before hosting Kansas on Sept. 29. It will be the first Thursday night home game for Texas Tech since beating then-No. 24 TCU 20-10 on Sept. 12, 2013, Kliff Kingsbury's first season with the Red Raiders.

POINTS GALORE:

It was the eighth home game in a row that the Red Raiders scored at least 50 points

Ballage scores 8 TDs, Arizona State beats Texas Tech 68-55

Kalen Ballage tied an NCAA record by scoring eight touchdowns and had 185 all-purpose yards, helping Arizona State outlast Texas Tech 68-55 in a wild game Saturday night.

Two teams known for scoring points in bunches put on an offensive show in the desert, trading big plays and touchdowns on seemingly every snap.

Arizona State (2-0) opened up its playbook in an attempt to keep up with the Red Raiders.

Ballage was the focal point, scoring seven touchdowns on direct-snap runs and another on a 39-yard, double-reverse flea flicker. The junior matches the record set by Illinois' Howard Griffith in 1990.

Texas Tech (1-1) tried to keep up behind Patrick Mahomes, who threw for 540 yards and two touchdowns. The Red Raiders bogged down offensively in the second half, though, and had little defense against the quick-snapping Sun Devils.

Mahomes had two passes intercepted by Gump Hayes, including one that set up Ballage's seventh TD in the fourth quarter.

Ballage followed with a 75-yard run up the middle to match the record on his 13th touch of the game. He also tied the FBS record with four touchdowns in the second quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders proved they can still put up points, but continue to have problems defensively. Texas Tech allowed Manny Wilkins to pick through its secondary and had no answer when Arizona State went to its Wildcat set with Ballage in the red zone.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils have found their rhythm offensively after struggling for most of three quarters against Northern Arizona last week. Wilkins played confidently, throwing for 351 yards and two touchdowns, while Ballage gave them an unexpected scoring punch by matching his touchdown total of the three previous seasons combined.

UP NEXT

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders host Louisiana Tech next Saturday.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils play at UTSA on Friday.

Mahomes accounts for 6 TDs in 69-17 win over SFA

Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury knows Patrick Mahomes' talent. But he also knows youth can bring dubious decisions.

Mahomes, a junior, threw for four touchdowns and ran for two more to lead Texas Tech past Stephen F. Austin 69-17 on Saturday.

"I thought he was a little loose, kind of doing his own thing a few times," Kingsbury said. "When things are there within the system, let's take it. And then when it's not, get out and work your magic."

The Lumberjacks couldn't stop the Red Raiders offense and couldn't get theirs on track for much of the game.

Mahomes, who was pulled midway through the third quarter, completed 30 of 43 passes for 483 yards; he rushed for 57 more.

Six Red Raiders receivers had yardage totals greater than 47 yards and the team had 10 plays of 20 yards or longer.

"This is a potent offense," Lumberjacks coach Clint Conque said. "We obviously realized it was going to be a tough get for us as a football team."

The win gave Texas Tech (1-0) its 16th straight win over FCS opponents, including three against the Lumberjacks (0-1).

SFA's offense needed a ground game badly.

"The first few drives we had a hard time establishing the run, and it's hard to sustain drives and win football games without having a decent running game, `Jacks quarterback Zach Conque said.

Kingsbury wasn't too pleased with the offensive early on.

"I just didn't think offensively we played very technical - kind of some streetball going on early," he said.

THE TAKEAWAY

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders, who finished 126th in total defense last season (547.7 per game), looked improved. But the quality of their opponent probably didn't provide the most accurate test. The defensive line is benefiting from two transfers, Kolin Hill (Notre Dame) and Ondre Pipkins (Michigan), and freshman linebacker Jordyn Brooks looked strong and fast. The defense showed its grit when it stopped the Lumberjacks inside the 10-yard line in the second quarter and took over on downs.

"I really think their interior people gave us grief the whole night," coach Conque said.

Stephen F. Austin: The Lumberjacks have plenty of work to do to polish their offense. The Football Championship Subdivision team didn't score a touchdown until late in the third quarter and had just 60 yards rushing.

UP NEXT

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders schedule toughens significantly as they travel west next week to face Arizona State of the Pac-12. Texas Tech beat the Sun Devils 37-23 in the 2013 Holiday Bowl.

Stephen F. Austin: The Lumberjacks go to West Alabama of the Gulf South Conference, a Division II program. SFA has played the Tigers once, in 1993 when the Alabama school was known as Livingston University.

OODLES OF RECEIVERS

Eighteen different Texas Tech receivers caught passes from two quarterbacks on Saturday night. They caught 48 passes between them from Mahomes and Nic Shimonek, the backup.

ACROBATIC RED RAIDERS

WR Cameron Batson scored the Red Raiders first TD when he caught a ball over the middle and somersaulted into the end zone. Keenon Ward, a defensive back, had one of Texas Tech's two interceptions. He juggled the ball as he fought SFA receiver Aaron Piper for the ball deep in Red Raiders territory. Ward pulled it in on Texas Tech's 1-yard line. The Red Raiders got just a field goal off the turnover.