Texas Tech Athletics
7-5 , 3-5
Houston
5-7 , 4-4
Texas Tech Downs Houston, 35-20
November 27, 2010 | Football
Nov. 28, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -Taylor Potts threw for 373 yards and four touchdowns to lead Texas Tech over Houston 35-20 on Saturday night.
Potts completed 32 of 46 passes with an interception for the Red Raiders (7-5).
Texas Tech kept the Cougars (5-7) from becoming bowl eligible and avenged a 1-point defeat at Houston last season.
Houston moved the ball well between the 20-yard lines, but couldn't get it across the goal line enough.
The Cougars pulled within 28-20 on a 13-yard pass from David Piland to Tyron Carrier early in the fourth quarter. But Texas Tech came right back, as Potts threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Lyle Leong to cap a 92-yard drive.
Piland, a true freshman, completed 32 of 61 passes for 441 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Houston is now 8-6 against the Red Raiders in Lubbock. Last year, Cougars quarterback Case Keenum scored on a 4-yard run with 49 seconds left to beat Texas Tech, 29-28.
The Cougars outgained the Red Raiders 585-488, but Texas Tech made more of their yards.
Potts surpassed the 3,000-yard passing mark for the season in the first quarter. Texas Tech, predominantly a passing team under former coach Mike Leach, now has had a quarterback pass for 3,000 yards in 11 straight seasons.
In the third quarter, Potts faked to running back Baron Batch and kept it for a 28-yard rush to put the Red Raiders at the 16-yard line. Two plays later, Potts found Batch on a screen pass, and he battled through two tacklers before getting into the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown to make it 28-13.
Potts found Lewis for two touchdowns in the first half. The pair connected for a 6-yard score on the Red Raiders' first possession of the game. The second touchdown pass to Lewis - a 9-yarder - came at the end of Texas Tech's first drive of the second quarter to give it a 21-10 lead.
The score came after Tech got great field position on the Houston 47 after Houston punter Richie Leone's failure to get a first down on a fake punt on fourth-and-9.
After the teams traded interceptions on successive plays in the first quarter, Houston drove to Piland's 7-yard TD pass to Johnson that put the Cougars up 10-7.
Running back Eric Stephens put Tech back in front 14-10 on a 26-yard score with 1:13 left in the first quarter.
Team Stats
HOU 0, TTU 7
TTU - Lewis, Detron 6 yd pass from Potts, Taylor (Williams, Matt kick) 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:57
HOU 3, TTU 7
HOU - HOGAN, Matt 49 yd field goal 5 plays, 48 yards, TOP 1:27
HOU 10, TTU 7
HOU - JOHNSON, Justin 7 yd pass from PILAND, David (HOGAN, Matt kick) 10 plays, 74 yards, TOP 4:33
HOU 10, TTU 14
TTU - Stephens, Eric 26 yd run (Williams, Matt kick), 7 plays, 68 yards, TOP 1:58
HOU 10, TTU 21
TTU - Lewis, Detron 9 yd pass from Potts, Taylor (Williams, Matt kick) 8 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:22
HOU 13, TTU 21
HOU - HOGAN, Matt 19 yd field goal 9 plays, 61 yards, TOP 1:46
HOU 13, TTU 28
TTU - Batch, Baron 8 yd pass from Potts, Taylor (Williams, Matt kick) 5 plays, 54 yards, TOP 1:00
HOU 20, TTU 28
HOU - CARRIER, Tyron 13 yd pass from PILAND, David (HOGAN, Matt kick) 12 plays, 82 yards, TOP 3:51
HOU 20, TTU 35
TTU - Leong, Lyle 19 yd pass from Potts, Taylor (Williams, Matt kick) 8 plays, 92 yards, TOP 2:45
