7-0: Texas Tech Strikes First Against No. 15 Nebraska

Lincoln, NE (Sports Network) - Steven Sheffield threw one touchdown and ran two more in as Texas Tech upended 15th-ranked Nebraska, 31-10, at Memorial Stadium.

Sheffield went 23-for-32 with 234 yards passing with his two touchdown runs both coming from a yard out for the Red Raiders (5-2, 2-1 Big 12), who have won three straight. Detron Lewis had five catches for 100 yards while Baron Batch caught a touchdown pass in the win.

“I thought he played a real good first half,” said Texas Tech coach Mike Leach about Sheffield. “I thought we had a hollow spot in the middle, not just him, but the offensive unit, and then I thought he played good at the end. I think when things start going right for you, you try to make just a little extra happen, and maybe we got ahead of ourselves a little bit. But he brings a lot to the table as far as enthusiasm for the whole team.”

Zac Lee started under center and went 16-for-22 with 128 yards passing for the Cornhuskers (4-2, 1-1), who had won their previous two games. Cody Green finished the game at QB and was 7-for-16 with 87 yards, a score and a pick. Chris Brooks had five catches for 66 yards.

The Red Raiders started the game with the ball and put points on the board as a nine-play drive that covered 81 yards was finished on a 16-yard touchdown from Sheffield to Batch for a 7-0 lead a bit less than five minutes in.

After an exchange of punts, Nebraska got into Texas Tech territory and had the ball in the red zone, but Niles Paul fumbled a rush which Daniel Howard recovered and raced back the other way for an 82-yard score and a 14-0 lead with 4:52 to play in the first.

“We stopped and you can’t stop,” said Nebraska coach Bo Pelini. “You can’t stop on the play. I give them credit for doing it. We didn’t play good enough to win the football game in any phase of the game. We got beat. I give Texas Tech credit. We did not play good football. We didn’t play well. We got outcoached. We got outplayed. Simple as that.”

Starting with the ball at their own 35 in the second, Texas Tech used 13 plays and close to seven minutes to get the ball into the end zone on its first possession as Sheffield pushed a the pile from the one to take a 21-0 lead with 6:56 to play in the first half.

The Cornhuskers got a 21-yard field goal from Alex Henery with 1:47 to play in the second to get points on the board, but the Red Raiders got into scoring position quickly and a 32-yard boot between the uprights by Matt Williams made it a 24-3 game going into the locker room.

After each team punted twice in the third quarter, Nebraska drove and Henery attempted a 51-yard field goal, but was unsuccessful.

The Cornhuskers held the Red Raiders to a three-and-out on the next touch and moved down to the Texas Tech 14 on a drive that spanned the third and fourth quarters. Facing a 1st-and-goal at the seven-yard line, a personal foul penalty pushed them back 15 yards and was followed by a false start. That was followed by three straight incompletions and Texas Tech took over on downs.

Nebraska’s defense again held Texas Tech on the ensuing possession and were finally able to get into the end zone. Starting with the ball at the Texas Tech 40 after a 16-yard punt return from Paul, Green completed three of his next four passes to get to the 18-yard line. After an incompletion and a short pass to Marcus Mendoza, Green found Khiry Cooper in the end zone from 13 yards out to make it a 24-10 game with 8:40 to play.

However, the Red Raiders put the nail in the coffin on their next drive as the team ate up over five minutes of the clock on a nine-play, 54-yard march that was finished on a one-yard run into the end zone by Sheffield for a 31-10 lead with 3:30 left on the clock.

Green was picked off by Franklin Mitchem in the red zone with 2:03 to play and Texas Tech was able to run out the clock from there.

Nebraska hosts Iowa State next Saturday while the Red Raiders host Texas A&M...The Red Raiders have won the last four games against Nebraska, which leads the series, 7-4...Roy Helu Jr. led Nebraska’s rushing attack with 16 carries for 68 yards while Batch had 12 carries for 38 yards and six catches for 25 yards for Texas Teach.

- Via Sports Network