Postgame Notes

September 05, 2015 | Football

GETTING STARTED
? Weather conditions at kickoff: Temperature: 90 degrees; Winds: SSW at 12 mph; Humidity: 33 percent; Conditions: Partly cloudy skies
? Today's game was televised regionally on FOX Sports Net.
? Today's game marked the second all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Sam Houston State and the first since 2005. Texas Tech is now 2-0 all-time against Sam Houston.
? Today's game marked the 1000th all-time game in Texas Tech history.
? Sam Houston State won the coin toss and deferred its option to the second half. Texas Tech is now 1-0 when receiving the opening kickoff.
? Texas Tech wore black helmets, black jerseys and black helmets. The Red Raiders are now 10-4 in this jersey combination since the 2009 season.
? Today's game captains were Branden Jackson (DL), Le'Raven Clark (OL), Jared Kaster (OL), DeAndre Washington (RB), and Micah Awe (LB).
? Texas Tech had seven Red Raiders make their first career start today: Tony Morales (OL), Quinton White (FB), Ja'Deion High (WR), Breiden Fehoko (DL), Zach Barnes (DL), Kris Williams (LB) and Jah'Shawn Johnson (DB).
? Senior offensive lineman Le'Raven Clark made his team-leading 39th consecutive start while senior defensive lineman made his 25th-consecutive start.
? Today's attendance was 60,073 - just 381 shy of a sellout. It marks the second-highest attended crowd for a season opener in school history behind the 2014 crowd of 60,778.

Starters -- (Offense) - (LT) Le'Raven Clark, (LG) Alfredo Morales, (C) Jared Kaster, (RG) Tony Morales (RT) Baylen Brown, (QB) Patrick Mahomes II, (RB) DeAndre Washington, (FB) Quinton White (WR) Devin Lauderdale, (IR) Jakeem Grant, (WR) Ja'Deion High; (Defense) -- (DE) Branden Jackson, (T) Breiden Fehoko (N) Rika Levi, (RUSH) Zach Barnes, (DB) J.J. Gaines, (MIKE) Micah Awe, (SAM) Kris Williams, (BC) Justis Nelson, (FC) Tevin Madison, (FS) Keenon Ward, (SS) J.J. Gaines

TEXAS TECH'S WIN... ? Gives Texas Tech a 1-0 overall record.
? Marks Texas Tech's 13th-straight in season openers. The Red Raiders are now 63-26-3 all-time in season openers.
? Marks the 23rd-consecutive season where Texas Tech has opened its home slate with a victory.
? Improves Texas Tech to 19-1 all-time against FCS opponents. Texas Tech has now won each of its last 15 contests against FCS opponents.
? Gives Texas Tech a 2-0 overall record all-time against Sam Houston State.
? Improves Texas Tech to 15-3 all-time against members of the Southland Conference.
? Improves Texas Tech to 27-1 against non-conference opponents at Jones AT&T Stadium dating back to the 2003 season.
? Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 13-13.
? Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 7-1 against non-Big 12 opponents.
? Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 3-0 against FCS opponents.
? Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 1-0 all-time against Sam Houston State.

MAHOMES II PICKS UP FROM WHERE HE LEFT OFF IN 2014
? Patrick Mahomes II continued his solid play from 2014 in today's season opener as the sophomore completed 33-of-53 passes for 425 yards and four touchdowns.
? Mahomes' 425 passing yards marked the most by a Texas Tech quarterback in a season opener since Davis Webb amassed 452 passing yards against Central Arkansas in 2014.
? Mahomes' 425 passing yards marked the second-most of his career behind only the 598 yards he threw for against Baylor in 2014. This is the second-straight game where he has thrown for at least 400 yards.
? Mahomes has now passed for at least 300 yards in four-consecutive games and at least four touchdown passes in four-straight games as well.
? Mahomes threw for 322 yards in the first half alone, marking his second-straight performance to reach the 300-yark mark in the opening half. He also hit that total in the 2014 season finale against Baylor.
? Patrick Mahomes' 24-yard carry to end the first quarter marked the longest of his career. His previous high was 14 yards against both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma in 2014.
? Mahomes set career highs with 33 completions and 48 rushing yards.

GRANT HAS CAREER DAY IN RETURN GAME
? Jakeem Grant returned his third career kickoff for a touchdown with 7:13 remaining in the second quarter. It marked the first time a Red Raider had returned a kickoff for a touchdown since Reginald Davis in the 2013 Holiday Bowl against No. 17 Arizona State (90 yards). Texas Tech had not previously returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a season opener since Ivory McCann went 100 yards against New Mexico in 2001.
? Grant's touchdown return placed him in sole possession of first place in Texas Tech history for kickoff return touchdowns. He was previously tied with Jack Kirkpatrick (1952-55) for the most all-time in program history.
? Grant's 94-yard touchdown was part of a big day in the return game for the senior as he totaled 136 kick return yards, moving him into sole possession of third all-time on the Texas Tech career chart with 1,288 yards.

NOTING THE RED RAIDERS
? Jakeem Grant recorded his first career rushing touchdown to open Texas Tech's scoring with 11:54 remaining in the first quarter. He rushed three yards along the right side for the touchdown.
? Devin Lauderdale's 64-yard touchdown pass marked the longest for a Red Raider since Lauderdale's own 82-yard TD reception against Iowa State last season. It marked the third-longest play of his career. Both of those passes came from Patrick Mahomes II. Lauderdale finished with career highs for receptions (8) and receiving yards (150).
? Branden Jackson recorded Texas Tech's first sack of the season early in the second quarter. It was the 10th sack of Jackson's career.
? J.J. Gaines picked off Sam Houston State's first pass attempt of the second half, returning it 47 yards for a touchdown. It was the fifth interception of Gaines' career and the first to be returned for a touchdown. He is the first Red Raider to return an interception for a touchdown since Pete Robertson did so against Oklahoma State in 2013.
? Mike Mitchell, playing in his first collegiate game, made the first fumble recovery of his career with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter. The fumble recovery was caused by Jah'Shawn Johnson, the first of his respective career.

TEAM NOTES
? Texas Tech's 59 points marked its second-most points ever in a season opener. The Red Raiders previously defeated Panhandle A&M, 62-0, to open the 1927 season.
? Texas Tech's 59 points marked the seventh time in school history where the Red Raiders have scored at least 50 points in a season opener. Four of those seven contests have come since the 2003 season.
? Texas Tech's 59 points marked its most since defeating Stephen F. Austin by a 61-13 margin in 2013.
? Texas Tech scored off a three-yard Jakeem Grant rushing touchdown on its opening drive of the game. It marked the first time Texas Tech has scored a touchdown on its opening drive of a season since 2009 when the Red Raiders hosted North Dakota.
? Texas Tech had several new faces on both sides of the ball as five true freshmen saw action in today's season opener. The true freshmen who appeared today include Breiden Fehoko (DL), Keke Coutee (WR), Tony Brown (WR), Jonthan Giles (WR), D'Vonta Hinton.
? Texas Tech scored 42 points in the opening half alone, its most in a half since scoring 45 against Stephen F. Austin in 2013.
? Texas Tech threw for 437 yards in the game, marking the third-straight year where the Red Raiders have reached the 400-yard mark in a season opener.
? Texas Tech forced four Sam Houston State turnovers in the game, its most since also forcing four at Kansas in 2013.