(Texas Tech Athletics)

LUBBOCK — Behren Morton threw four touchdown passes and ran 10 yards for another score as Texas Tech tied a school record with 52 points in the first half of a 66-21 victory over North Texas on Saturday.

Bralyn Lux returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown and Coy Eakin had a 70-yard TD catch as the Red Raiders (2-1) scored seven touchdowns in a span of 13 minutes starting late in the first quarter.

The first-half blitz came after Texas Tech barely survived for an overtime victory in the opener at home against FCS member Abilene Christian and lost handily last week at Washington State.

After giving up 506 yards passing to ACU, the Red Raiders intercepted Chandler Morris three times in the second quarter, including the throw after Lux’s pick-6 when the ball went through receiver Kyle Koch’s hands.

“The stuff that we asked our guys to do, they did today,” coach Joey McGuire said. “They did a good job of responding, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I’m confident from the standpoint that if we continue to take care of the football on the offensive side of the ball, cut down on the penalties and play good defense, we’re going to be a good football team.”

The Mean Green (2-1) pulled within 10-7 when Wyatt Young took a screen pass 75 yards for a score. But Tahj Brooks, who had 109 yards rushing after missing Texas Tech’s loss to the Cougars with an injury, started the 42-0 surge with a 21-yard scoring run on fourth-and-1.

The Red Raiders went up 52-7 and tied their scoring record for any half on Jalin Conyers’ 10-yard catch 3:08 before halftime. Texas Tech scored 52 before the break in a 63-7 victory over Indiana State in 2005.

“I think from this week until next week, we’ve got to do a lot of soul searching, and that starts with me,” said UNT coach Eric Morris, who played and coached for the Red Raiders. “I thought that honestly, we went out and put up about as poor of a performance collectively as you can.”

Morton didn’t play after halftime, finishing 15 of 19 for 273 yards without an interception after his two picks were among four Texas Tech turnovers in a 37-16 loss to the Cougars.

Morris, who also had three interceptions in last week’s 35-20 win over Stephen F. Austin, didn’t play the fourth quarter and finished 15 of 27 for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

Texas Tech won its 47th consecutive game against an unranked opponent from a non-power conference. The streak started after a loss to North Texas in 1999, two years before their most recent meeting.

The takeaway

North Texas: It was a rough return to Lubbock for Morris, who is in his second year at UNT. The Mean Green were 2-0 for the first time since 2018 and had a four-game winning streak. They expected to be more competitive after Texas Tech opened the season with two sub-par showings.

Texas Tech: Fans left the stadium feeling much better than two weeks earlier when the Red Raiders won after stopping ACU’s 2-point conversion try in a 52-51 win. The heat on third-year coach Joey McGuire figures to ease a bit for now, but the Red Raiders need to keep it up in Big 12 play.

Up next

North Texas: The final nonconference game against Wyoming at home next Saturday.

Texas Tech: Arizona State’s first Big 12 game next Saturday is the second of three consecutive home games for the Red Raiders.

HOUSTON 33, RICE 7

HOUSTON — Donovan Smith threw for 142 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, and Stacy Sneed rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown as Houston earned its first win under coach Willie Fritz, beating crosstown rival Rice 33-7 on Saturday night.

Sneed rushed around right end for a 65-yard touchdown with 5 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter, and Mekhi Mews returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown less than two minutes later.

Sneed said Houston’s win in the Bayou Bucket game meant a lot. The Owls beat Houston 43-41 in double overtime last season.

“It showed that we run Houston, and nobody is going to come into our house and beat us – not Rice,” Sneed said.

After Houston’s Michael Batton recovered a muffed Rice punt, Smith, who finished 12 of 21, found Stephon Johnson for a 44-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter as Houston took a 20-0 lead into halftime.

Fritz, who described his first win at Houston as “special,” said he continued to see improvements each week.

“That’s your goal,” Fritz said. “You want to get a little bit better each and every week. You don’t want to stay the same. We’re dialed in right now defensively. I’m really excited with how we’re playing over there.”

Smith rushed for touchdowns covering 1 and 37 yards in the second half. Re’Shaun Sanford II rushed for 71 yards for Houston. The Cougars (1-2) outgained Rice 379-159 yards, including 237-75 yards rushing.

“I thought we ran the ball very effectively,” Fritz said. “We had difficulties running it in week 1 and week 2. We ran the ball extremely well today, and that opened up the passing game.”

E.J. Warner finished 12-of-21 passing for 50 yards with an interception for Rice (1-2). Dean Connors rushed for 32 yards and had a 4-yard touchdown run.

“There’s some big plays that we just got to make,” Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said. “It comes down to doing our job, and when the opportunity is there, executing our job. In a couple instances tonight, I don’t think we did.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Rice: The Owls, who entered with a nation-best 11 sacks, had three sacks and nine tackles for loss overall. Rice went 2 for 13 on third downs.

“Obviously, when you start the game 0 for 11 on third down – I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of that – that’s not good,” Bloomgren said. “You’re not moving the sticks, you’re not giving your defense a chance to rest and you’ve got a lot of plays on your call sheet that you want to call that you can’t call.”

Houston: The Cougars finally got going offensively after scoring 19 points over its first two games. Houston was called for five penalties for 64 yards.

TARGETING

Houston lost two members of its secondary to targeting. Cornerback Latrell McCutchen Sr. was called for the penalty on a punt in the second quarter, and defensive back Juwon Gaston was ejected for targeting at the start of the third quarter.

UP NEXT

Rice: At Army on Saturday.

Houston: At Cincinnati on Saturday.

SAM HOUSTON 31, HAWAII 13

HUNTSVILLE — Hunter Watson threw three touchdown passes and Sam Houston beat Hawaii 31-13 on Saturday night.

The Bearkats (2-1) pulled out to a 17-3 first-half lead on Hunter’s 7-yard touchdown throw to Qua’Vez Humphreys, Ife Adeyi’s 9-yard scoring run and a Christian Pavon field goal.

The Rainbow Warriors (1-2) got within seven with 10 minutes left in the third quarter on Brayden Schager’s 5-yard toss to Pofele Ashlock but no closer with Watson hitting John Gentry for a 3-yard score and then a 55-yarder to Humphreys, who took the ball away from a defender and raced down the right sideline.

Watson was 15-of-23 passing for 165 yards with an interception. Humphreys had 106 yards receiving on four catches. Jay Ducker had 15 carries for 148 yards.

Schager was 21-of-42 passing for 252 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

LAMAR 17, WEBER STATE 16

BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — Jakolby Longino threw a pair of touchdown passes and Lamar held off Weber State for a 17-16 victory on Saturday night.

Longino tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Sevonne Rhea that gave Lamar a 10-0 lead with 7:20 left before halftime. Longino’s 72-yard touchdown strike to Damien Moore ended the scoring with nine minutes left in the third quarter.

Longino finished with 121 yards on 5-of-6 passing. Khalan Griffin added 91 yards on the ground on 21 carries for Lamar (2-1).

Weber State’s Kyle Thompson missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt with 44 seconds left. Thompson hit from 42 yards in the second quarter but missed a 44-yarder in the third.

Montae Pate scored on a 31-yard interception for Weber State that tied it 10-10 with 2:20 left before halftime. Richie Munoz’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Colter May gave the Wildcats a 16-10 lead in the third.

Munoz was 22-of-30 passing for 184 yards for Weber State (1-2).

ABILENE CHRISTIAN 24, NORTHERN COLORADO 22

GREELEY, Colo. — Ritse Vaes kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired to give Abilene Christian a 24-22 win over Northern Colorado on Saturday to deny the Bears their first win since 2022.

Hank Gibbs scored from 3 yards out to give the Bears (0-3) — losers now of 15 straight games — a one-point lead with 1:10 left. But they called two timeouts and then were penalized for delay of game before attempting a 2-point conversion pass from the 7-yard line which failed. The Bears also failed on 2-point conversion after their previous touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Abilene Christian (2-1) drove to the UNC 22 behind Maverick Mahor but was pushed back to the 37 on a personal foul with five seconds remaining. Vaes saved the Wildcats with a kick that easily cleared.

Mahor was 20-of-34 passing for 229 yards and a touchdown. Sam Hicks had both a rushing and receiving touchdown. Javon Gipson had 102 yards receiving on seven catches.

Darius Stewart rushed for 132 yards on 21 carries for the Bears. Caden Meis added two rushing TDs. The Bears threw for only 25 yards.

After the Bears built a 10-0 lead on Hunter Green’s 35-yard field goal and Meis’ 2-yard rushing TD, McIvor got the Wildcats on the board with a 17-yard passing TD to Hicks with just over a minute left in the first half.

Hicks broke a couple of early tackles before sprinting to a 65-yard score to give Abilene Christian its first lead at 14-10 in the third quarter. Isaiah Johnson finished a nine-play, 84-yard drive with 5-yard score late in the quarter for a 21-10 edge.

GRAMBLING 35, TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE 28, OT

COMMERCE — Myles Crawley threw two touchdowns and Tre Bradford ran for two scores and his 3-yard plunge in overtime carried Grambling to a 35-28 win over Texas A&M Commerce. BK Jackson ran for 149 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns for Texas A&M Commerce.

Myles Crawley threw two touchdowns and Tre Bradford ran for two scores and his 3-yard plunge in overtime carried Grambling to a 35-28 win over Texas A&M Commerce on Saturday.

Crawley threw a 27-yard scoring pass to Nicholas Howard to end a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive with 1:18 left in regulation to tie it at 28-28 to force overtime.

Grambling’s Patrick Marshall intercepted Ron Peace on the Lions’ first play of their half of overtime. It was Peace’s fourth interception of the game.

The game featured six lead changes. Grambiling (2-1) outgained the Lions (0-3) 419-247.

BK Jackson ran for 149 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns for Texas A&M Commerce.

The game was the first ever between the teams.