Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez struck the Heisman pose again and Texas Tech kept its Big 12 title dream very much alive with a dominant 48–9 rout of UCF on Saturday in Lubbock. The No. 8 Red Raiders moved to 10–1 overall and 7–1 in the Big 12 (No. 6 in the CFP rankings), reaching double-digit wins for the first time since Mike Leach’s 11–2 squad in 2008 and sending a loud message in their regular-season home finale.
Texas Tech’s swagger was on full display early, and nobody embodied it more than Rodriguez. Already a fan favorite for his highlight-reel interception and Heisman pose last week against BYU, he broke out the celebration again after scoring the first offensive touchdown of his career, a 2-yard wildcat run. Rodriguez, who has already returned fumbles for scores in back-to-back seasons against Oklahoma State, wasn’t done impacting the game. His fourth interception of the season set up another touchdown that pushed Tech’s lead to 35–2 and effectively ended any doubt.
While Rodriguez supplied the style, Reggie Virgil brought the fireworks. The young back made the most of his opportunity, scoring three times and turning his first two career carries into touchdowns. He opened his account with a 5-yard scoring run in the second quarter, then followed it with a 30-yard sprint to the end zone that ended with him hopping and skipping across the goal line. Virgil later added an 8-yard touchdown reception from Behren Morton, capping a breakout day that gives the Red Raiders yet another weapon in an already loaded offense.
Cameron Dickey joined the party with two rushing touchdowns of his own, as Tech’s ground game overpowered UCF from start to finish. Morton, gutting it out through a leg injury with original backup Will Hammond out for the season, threw for 149 yards and the touchdown to Virgil before giving way to Mitch Griffis late in the first half. With the game well in hand and an open week ahead, getting Morton some rest was a welcome bonus for Joey McGuire’s squad.
On the other side, UCF never found its footing. The Golden Knights didn’t record a first down until they were already trailing 21–0 and managed only 52 rushing yards against the nation’s top run defense. Their first points didn’t even come on offense; they were gifted a safety when Tech left tackle Howard Sampson was called for holding in the end zone. Sampson was later flagged for taunting on what initially appeared to be a touchdown to Caleb Douglas just before halftime. Replay marked Douglas down at the 2-yard line and the penalty pushed Tech back, forcing the Red Raiders to settle for a field goal and a 38–2 lead at the break.
It was that kind of night for UCF, who dropped to 4–6 overall and 1–6 in the Big 12, and remains winless on the road at 0–4. They’ve now been outscored 78–12 over their last two road trips to the Lone Star State and are staring at the real possibility of a third straight losing season unless they can close strong with back-to-back wins and a bowl victory.
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For Texas Tech, the story is far different. All 10 of the Red Raiders’ wins this season have come by at least 20 points, a school record, and their average margin of victory sits at a staggering 33.8 points. This is a team not just winning, but overwhelming opponents on both sides of the ball. The defense is suffocating the run, the offense is spreading the wealth to a deep stable of playmakers, and the attitude in Lubbock feels a lot like 2008 all over again—only this time with a nastier defense to go with the fireworks.
UCF will head home for its finale against last-place Oklahoma State next Saturday, while Texas Tech enjoys an open week before closing the regular season on the road at West Virginia on November 29. If the Red Raiders keep playing like this, that trip might be just one more step on the way to a long-awaited Big 12 championship shot.
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