Sam Houston stayed within a touchdown at halftime before Texas Tech finished with a 49-14 win in Lubbock.
Sept. 26, 2026
No. 11 Texas Tech pulls away from Kats in second half
LUBBOCK – Sam Houston battled No. 11 Texas Tech within a touchdown through the opening half before the Red Raiders pulled away after the break for a 49-14 win Saturday at Galaxy Stadium.
The Kats (1-3) trailed 21-0 just 13 seconds into the second quarter after Texas Tech linebacker Austin Romaine returned interceptions for touchdowns on consecutive Sam Houston offensive snaps, but answered with 14 straight points to go to the halftime locker room trailing just 21-14.
Texas Tech (4-0) regained control quickly after halftime, scoring twice in the opening 4:27 of the third quarter before adding two more touchdowns in the fourth.
Sam Houston forced a season-high four turnovers in the game, including three interceptions of Red Raider quarterback Will Hammond in the final 5:17 of the first half.
Texas Tech held a 7-0 lead after the opening quarter before Romaine struck twice to open the second. He first picked off a tipped Brett Holloway pass and returned it 15 yards for a score before intercepting Landyn Locke on the Kats' next offensive snap and taking it back 31 yards to push the lead to 21-0.
The Kats quickly began chipping away at the deficit.
Locke connected with Tim Burns Jr. for a 52-yard touchdown with 8:17 remaining in the half, cutting the lead to 21-7. The Sam Houston defense then took over, beginning with Cameron Franklin intercepting Hammond at the goal line with 5:17 to play.
Caesar Magee III followed with another interception on Hammond's next pass attempt, returning it 12 yards and setting up the Kats deep in Texas Tech territory. Locke capitalized by finding Chris Reed for a 9-yard touchdown with 1:56 left in the half.
Tyler Bailey then intercepted Hammond on his next pass attempt, giving the Kats interceptions on three consecutive Texas Tech passes and sending Sam Houston into halftime within a touchdown.
The Red Raiders opened the second half with a 45-yard kickoff return that set them up at the Sam Houston 32, needing just three plays to extend the lead on Cameron Dickey's 13-yard touchdown run.
After a Sam Houston three-and-out, Tech again took advantage of good field position and went 53 yards in five plays, with Hammond finding Coy Eakin for a 21-yard touchdown that made it 35-14 with 10:33 remaining in the third.
Texas Tech added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.
Locke finished 23-for-37 for 195 yards and two touchdowns, while Burns led the Kats with 61 receiving yards and Kyan Berry-Johnson hauled in four passes for 50 yards.
Sam Houston finished with 269 yards of offense while Texas Tech totaled 470. The Kats held the ball for 35:06 and forced four Red Raider turnovers.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Sam Houston's three interceptions were its most in a game since picking off four passes against Georgia Southern in the 2024 New Orleans Bowl
- Cameron Franklin, Caesar Magee III and Tyler Bailey intercepted Will Hammond on three consecutive pass attempts in the final 5:17 of the first half. The Kats are the first CUSA team to intercept three consecutive opponent pass attempts since Liberty did so against Bowling Green in 2023
- Franklin's interception was his first as a Bearkat and the third of his collegiate career after recording two at Prairie View A&M, while Bailey's was the second of his career and Magee's first as a Kat
- The Kats finished with four takeaways after Terrence Guillory II forced a fourth-quarter fumble on a Texas Tech punt return that was recovered by Tokyo Gordon. It was Sam Houston's first fumble recovery of the season. Sam Houston now has six takeaways in its last two games after going without one in the first two games of the season
- Sam Houston had not thrown an interception since the first play of the third quarter in the season opener at Troy before the consecutive pick-sixes
- Cal Joseph averaged 46.6 yards on nine punts, putting four inside the Texas Tech 20. His 71-yard punt in the second quarter tied for the fifth-longest in program history and was the seventh punt of at least 70 yards by a Bearkat
- Tim Burns Jr.'s 52-yard touchdown reception was his longest catch of the season and second consecutive week with an explosive touchdown after also having a 65-yard score last week at Nicholls. He finished with two receptions for a team-high 61 yards
- Landyn Locke threw multiple touchdown passes for the fourth consecutive game to open the season, finishing with scoring throws of 52 yards to Burns and 9 yards to Chris Reed late in the second quarter.