Behren Morton threw four touchdown passes Saturday night before departing in the second quarter with an injury as No. 23 Texas Tech routed Arkansas-Pine Bluff 67-7 in each team’s season opener in Lubbock, Texas.
Morton, who completed 16 of 18 attempts for 201 yards, left the game after linebacker Tayvon Hardwick hit him on the lower right leg and was called for roughing the passer. Morton stayed in for one more play, handing off to J’Koby Williams for a 5-yard touchdown, and went to the locker room for treatment.
That and a weather delay that lasted nearly an hour were the only things to slow down the Red Raiders. The teams agreed to play eight-minute quarters in the second half, but Texas Tech still wound up with 608 total yards and 34 first downs.
Cameron Dickey added 90 yards and a score on 12 rushes for the Red Raiders, while Terrance Carter Jr. caught two touchdown passes. A total of 12 players caught at least one pass.
Morton started a 47-point onslaught in the first half by finding Reggie Virgil for a 9-yard scoring strike. That was followed by Carter’s 21-yard touchdown reception, Upton Bellenfant’s 29-yard field goal and Carter’s 9-yard scoring catch for a 23-0 advantage.
Morton hit Coy Eakin for a 41-yard touchdown just 1:02 into the second quarter to continue the assault. Williams scored his touchdown and Stone Harrington kicked a 31-yard field goal. Dickey’s 2-yard scoring run increased the cushion to 47-0 just before halftime and the weather delay.
Backup quarterback Will Hammond rushed for a 64-yard touchdown with 6:28 left in the third quarter, then hit Leyton Stone for a 9-yard score for a 61-0 lead after three quarters.
The Golden Lions, an FCS program that plays in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, avoided a shutout with Christian Peters’ 7-yard touchdown pass to Ellis Stewart with 6:16 left in the game.
Texas Tech added one more touchdown on Mitch Griffis’ 13-yard throw to Bryson Jones at the 3:20 mark.
Peters completed 17 of 33 passes for 123 yards and an interception for Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
