LUBBOCK, Texas — Tommy Castellanos threw two touchdown passes and ran for 117 yards and a score as the starter over Will Hammond, and No. 13 Texas Tech beat No. 22 Arizona 34-26 on Saturday in a matchup that was pivotal to the Big 12 title and College Football Playoff hopes of both teams.
“He gave us juice today. It was great leadership from him,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “He plays with confidence. He’s played a lot of football. That’s what you saw, a very experienced quarterback out there today, and made some really good plays. I thought he played really well, and we’ve just got to build on it.”
J’Koby Williams ran 64 yards for a decisive touchdown and finished with 175 yards as the Red Raiders (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) tied a school record with their 13th consecutive home victory a week after a 37-24 loss at Cincinnati that led to the benching of Hammond.
Noah Fifita finished 33-of-45 passing for 417 yards for Arizona (6-2, 3-2) with a 94-yard touchdown to Isaiah Mizell, who had 182 yards receiving in his third consecutive game with at least 100 yards — the first three of the sophomore’s career.
The Wildcats had a five-game winning streak stopped while losing freshman receiver R.J. Mosley to an apparently serious left leg injury.
“We knew coming down here it was going to be a big-time battle. There’s a lot of really great moments in that game. There are a lot of things that we need to fix,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “Noah Fafita, what a warrior. Goodness gracious. He’s such a special kid.”
Both teams entered the game tied for second in the Big 12 behind undefeated No. 6 Utah.
“That’s what a Top 25 matchup is supposed to look like,” McGuire said. “That was a slugfest, that was a heavyweight fight.”
Castellanos put Texas Tech ahead for good with a 27-yard scoring pass to Kenny Johnson on fourth-and-2 late in the third quarter. The Red Raiders took a 24-23 lead because Ansel Nedore blocked the PAT kick after Kedrick Reescano’s go-ahead 1-yard touchdown run on the previous drive.
“I’m excited, not gonna lie,” said Castellanos, who joined the Red Raiders a week before the season opener after getting a fifth year of eligibility. “We just wanted to win and I think we played really well today. The offensive line did a really good job and I can’t even express my feelings in the way I’m feeling right now.”
Castellanos was just 11-of-24 passing for 144 yards, and ran 19 times. He led Tech’s first opening touchdown drive since the season opener, capping the 13-play, 75-yard drive with a 24-yard pass to Terrance Carter Jr. The QB kept the drive alive with a 7-yard run on fourth-and-2 and converted a pair of third downs, including one with another scramble.
The start came a day after the latest court ruling preserving the eligibility of Castellanos and 29 other athletes who sued over the issue of whether they should get a fifth season under the NCAA’s new five-for-five model. Castellanos was Florida State’s starter last season after previously playing for UCF and Boston College.
Arizona pulled within eight by kicking a field goal with 22 seconds remaining, but Quinten Joyner easily recovered the onside kick.
