Texas Tech football's loss to Oregon puts Red Raiders in a bind | Giese
It's hard to pinpoint any one thing in particular for the Texas Tech football team's 38-30 loss to Oregon Saturday night in Jones AT&T Stadium.
The Red Raiders largely looked like a different team than the one that took the field against Wyoming in Week 1. Even with the home environment of an announced sellout of 56,200 fans, beating a top-flight team like the Ducks was always going to be a tough ask.
Offensively, Tyler Shough was Jekyll & Hyde, showing flashes of why this season was expected to be his coming out party on a national level and other glimpses of why some fans have been vocal about his limitations.
Shough, again, had three touchdown passes and added 101 yards on the ground to go with another score. He was responsible for each of Tech's four touchdowns. But with the chance to become a Lubbock legend, with 1:10 left in the contest, he threw his second interception in a combination of his first two miscues.
In the first half, looking for a receiver, Shough was sacked and fumbled, giving the ball back to Oregon. He then threw behind an open Jerand Bradley for a pick — which derailed a momentum shift that followed a go-ahead touchdown and blocked punt that traveled 16 yards.
Shough said after the game that throw was intended for Jordan Brown, not Bradley, and was a result of a miscommunication on routes.
Those didn't sting as much as the final, nail-in-the-coffin turnover. Trailing 31-30 with 1:10 to work with, Xavier White fought through a tackle to put the Red Raiders out near midfield. Two plays later, Shough was again hit as he threw. This time, the ball went right into the hands of Jeffrey Bassa, who ran it back 45 yards the other way for the insurance touchdown.
His Hail Mary attempt at the end of the game was also picked off for his third interception — the most he's ever thrown in a game in his career.
Shough can't be blamed entirely for the loss, though he will shoulder plenty of it. Fans were less than thrilled with his showing against Wyoming and, for as much good as he did against Oregon, the mishaps will be the focus here.
It's easiest to blame the quarterback for a loss. He's the most visible player on the team, considered the most valuable. It's not all on Shough, though.
As expected, the Texas Tech defense had trouble with Bo Nix, Oregon's dual-threat quarterback. Nix wasn't used as a rushing threat in the first half, but he was in the second. That opened up the offense a bit — much as it did for Tech with the use of Shough's legs — and made for some easy yardage. Nix had 46 yards on nine rushing attempts, leading the Ducks.
Gino Garcia continued to struggle early in the season. After his 2-for-5 showing against Wyoming, he missed on a 56-yard attempt just before halftime, but redeemed himself with a 45-yarder to put Tech ahead 30-28 with 5:13 left.
And with Oregon trying to mount a comeback, Rayshad Williams was flagged for a late hit out of bounds at about midfield. That put the Ducks into field goal range, allowing Nix and the offense to take their time and milk the clock before the go-ahead score.
More: Texas Tech football: 5 observations from the Red Raiders' loss against Oregon
Being 0-2 for the first time since 1990 is a far cry from the expectations put upon the Red Raiders before the season. And now Tech is in a no-win situation of sorts.
Their next two opponents — home against Tarleton next week and the Big 12 opener at West Virginia — are games Texas Tech should win easily. Do that, and it's expected. Don't do that, or lose, and Red Raiders fans' panic levels will reach new heights.
Everything is still in play at this point in terms of the long-term goals Tech has. It's just not what fans, or the team, expected to happen.
It's crunch time for the Red Raiders, and we haven't even reached Week 3.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football's loss to Oregon puts Red Raiders in a bind | Giese
