Backup quarterback Will Hammond threw 169 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 17 Texas Tech to a 34-10 Big 12 conference victory over No. 16 Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
Hammond added 61 yards on the ground while playing much of the second half in relief of Behren Morton. Morton threw for 142 yards and had two interceptions before leaving in the third quarter with an apparent head injury.
On Texas Tech’s opening drive of the third, Utah linebacker Johnathan Hall’s shoulder hit Morton in the helmet when he slid at the end of a 10-yard scramble on 2nd-and-28. Morton immediately headed to the locker room and was ruled out.
Cameron Dickey rushed for 67 yards and two scores for the Red Raiders (4-0, 1-0 Big 12).
Utes quarterback Devon Dampier threw for 162 yards and two interceptions. Utah (3-1, 0-1) mustered only 263 yards on offense and committed four turnovers.
Utah trailed 13-3 early in the fourth before scoring its first touchdown. Wayshawn Parker scored on a 5-yard run with 10:22 left to cut the deficit to 13-10.
The wheels fell off for the Utes as Texas Tech scored touchdowns on three straight drives — a 24-yard run by Dickey and 24-yard and 21-yard passes by Hammond — to seal the victory.
Texas Tech converted a pair of long third downs on its opening drive and got on the board behind a 1-yard run from Cameron Dickey. J’Koby Williams set up the score with a 73-yard catch-and-run on third down, breaking tackles and weaving across the field to get down to the Utah 12.
Stone Harrington nailed a career-best 58-yard field goal to put the Red Raiders up 10-0 in the second quarter.
Utah had trouble generating momentum on offense. In the first quarter alone, the Utes had a 69-yard touchdown pass from Dampier to Jackson Bennee called back on an ineligible receiver penalty, then fumbled on back-to-back drives.
Dillon Curtis got the Utes on the board with a 32-yard field goal on the final play before halftime.
