Texas Tech Athletics
Stephen F. Austin
Postgame Notes -- Stephen F. Austin
September 04, 2016 | Football
GETTING STARTED
• Weather conditions at kickoff: Temperature: 83 degrees; Winds: S at 16 mph; Humidity: 53 percent; Conditions: partly cloudy skies.
• Today's game was televised regionally on FOX Sports Net.
• Today's game marked the third all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Stephen F. Austin. Texas Tech is now 3-0 all-time against the Lumberjacks.
• Texas Tech won the coin toss and chose to receive the opening kick.
• Texas Tech wore black helmets, black jerseys and black pants. Texas Tech is now 11-7 in the uniform combination since the start of the 2009 season.
• Today's game captains were Baylen Brown (OL), Patrick Mahomes II (QB), Justis Nelson (DB), Luke Stice (LB).
• Texas Tech had five different players make their first career start as a Red Raider: Terence Steele (LT), Madison Akamnonu (RT), Kolin Hill (DE), Ondre Pipkins (NT), Jordyn Brooks (LB). D.J. Polite-Bray, meanwhile, made his first career start on defense. He previously made two starts as a wide receiver.
• Senior offensive lineman Baylen Brown made his team-leading 24th consecutive start while senior defensive back Justis Nelson made his 23rd-consecutive start.
• Today's attendance was 60,097, the second-largest crowd for a season opener in Jones AT&T Stadium history.
Starters – (Offense) - (LT) Terence Steele, (LG) Baylen Brown, (C) Tony Morales, (RG) Justin Murphy (RT) Madison Akamnonu, (QB) Patrick Mahomes II, (RB) Justin Murphy, (RB) Quinton White, Jr., (WR) Devin Lauderdale, (IR) Cameron Batson, (WR) Dylan Cantrell;
(Defense) – (DE) Kolin Hill, (T) Breiden Fehoko (N) Ondre Pipkins , (RUSH) Kris Williams, (MIKE) D'Vonta Hinton, (WILL) Jordyn Brooks, (NB) Justis Nelson, (LC) D.J. Polite-Bray, (RC) Thierry Nguema, (FS) Jah'Shawn Johnson, (SS) Keenon Ward.
TEXAS TECH'S WIN...
• Gives Texas Tech a 1-0 overall record.
• Marks Texas Tech's 14th-straight in season openers, the third-longest active streak in the country only behind Florida (27) and Alabama (15).
• Give the Red Raiders a 64-26-3 all-time record in season openers.
• Marks the 24th-consecutive season where Texas Tech has opened its home slate with a victory.
• Improves Texas Tech to 20-1 all-time against FCS opponents. Texas Tech has now won each of its last 16 contests against FCS opponents.
• Gives Texas Tech a 3-0 overall record all-time against Stephen F. Austin.
• Improves Texas Tech to 16-3 all-time against members of the Southland Conference.
• Improves Texas Tech to 29-1 against non-conference opponents at Jones AT&T Stadium dating back to the 2003 season.
• Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 20-19.
• Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 10-2 against non-conference opponents.
• Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 4-0 against FCS opponents.
• Gives Kliff Kingsbury a career record of 2-0 all-time against Stephen F. Austin.
TEXAS TECH TEAM NOTES
• Following today's results, Texas Tech has the third-longest winning streak in season openers nationally. The Red Raiders' 14-game winning streak trails only Florida's 27-consecÂutive victories and Alabama's 15-straight wins.
• Texas Tech's 69 points is a school record for a season opener eclisping a 62-0 victory over Panhandle A&M on Sept. 24, 1927. It marked the eighth time in school history where the Red Raiders have scored 50 or more points in a season opener. Five of those eight outings have since the 2003 season.
• Texas Tech scored 45 points in the opening half are the most since scoring 45 points in the opening half during the 2013 meeting against Stephen F. Austin. The Red Raiders have scored 87 first-half points in its last two season openers after recording 42 a year ago against Sam Houston State.
• This is the seventh-consecutive home game where the Red Raiders have scored at least 50 points dating back to the start of the 2015 season.
• Texas Tech held Stephen F. Austin to minus-5 rushing yards in the opening half, the fewest for an opponent in the opening half since Kansas had five in 2013.
• Texas Tech finished with 758 yards of total offense which ranks fourth in single-game school history. Four of the top-10 totals in school history have come under head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
• The Red Raider defense allowed just 17 points, their fewest points allowed under defensive coordinator David Games and fewest in a game since topping Stephen F. Austin, 61-13, in their 2013 meeting.
• Stephen F. Austin's 17 points marked the fewest for an opponent in a season opener since the Red Raiders defeated Northwestern State, 44-6, in 2012.
• Texas Tech allowed just three points in the opening half, marking the third time in defensive coordinator David Gibbs' tenure where the unit has surrendered just three or fewer points in a half. Tech also surrendered three points in the first half against UTEP in 2015 and then shut out Kansas over the first 30 minutes later in the season.
• Keenon Ward's first-half interception marked the 10th-consecutive games where the Red Raiders forced a turnover.
• Texas Tech has now scored at least 25 points in each of its 17 games this season, continuing what is already the longest streak in the country.
• Texas Tech has now scored in 233 games dating back to the 1997 season, a streak that ranks 12th nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference.
• Texas Tech's 758 yards of total offense marked its 54th-straight game with at least 325 yards of total offense, the longest active streak in the FBS.
• Texas Tech scored on its opening drive of the season for a second-straight year as Cameron Batson hauled in an eight-yard touchdown strike from Patrick Mahomes II less than than three minutes in the game.
• Texas Tech had 17 different receivers catch a pass in tonight's game, led by Devin Lauderdale and his team-high seven receptions.
• Texas Tech forced three turnovers in the victory, its most since the Red Raiders also forced three against Kansas a year ago. The Red Raiders have now forced 28 turnovers in their 14 games under defensive coordinator David Gibbs. Tech's defense also forced Stephen F. Austin into five three-and-outs.
MAHOMES RECORDS OVER 500 ALL-PURPOSE YARDS, SIX TOUCHDOWNS IN SEASON OPENER
• Patrick Mahomes II matched his career high with six touchdowns altogether as he threw for four and then rushed for another two before leading the game midway through the third quarter. Mahomes finished 30-for-43 overall with four touchdown passes and then added another 57 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 10 carries.
• The performance marked the 14th game in Mahomes' career where he has passed for over 300 yards. It was the sixth time in his career where he has passed for over 400 yards.
• Mahomes finished just a yard shy of his career high for rushing. His 57 rushing yards were one shy of his career high set last year at Arkansas.
• Mahomes has thrown for over 400 yards in each of his two season openers as he recorded 425 passing yards in the 2015 opener against Sam Houston State.
BATSON NOTCHES 99 ALL-PURPOSE YARDS TO OPEN 2016 CAMPAIGN
• Cameron Batson began his junior season on a solid note as he leaped into the endzone on Texas Tech's opening drive off a 13-yard touchdown strike from Patrick Mahomes II. It was the second touchdown reception of his career.
• In addition, Batson was also finished with a career-high 75 yards in punt returns. Batson came into the game with 146 career punt return yards, 65 of which that came during his 2014 freshman season and 81 during his 2015 sophomore campaign.
• Batson twice recorded punt returns of 30 yards or longer as he returned SFA's opening punt 30 yards and then added a career-long 33-yarder later in the first half.
NOTING THE RED RAIDERS
• Ondre Pipkins made quite the debut on the Texas Tech defensive line as he recorded five tackles, including one for a loss.
• Dylan Cantrell recorded all 62 of his receiving yards on back-to-back plays as he pulled in a career-long 54 yard reception before following up with an eight-yard touchdown catch. Cantrell was making his first appearance since the 2014 season.
• Jonathan Giles recorded a career-high 89 receiving yards on four receptions. He hauled in a 22-yard touchdown reception during the 2nd quarter.
• Kolin Hill recorded Texas Tech's first sack of the season with 11:40 remaining in the second quarter. It was the first sack of his Red Raider career.
• Keenon Ward picked off his third pass of his career with 3:40 remaining in the first half. He previously had interceptions against Oklahoma State (2013) and Oklahoma (2014).
• Thierry Nguema recorded his second career interception with 6:42 remaining in the first half. His other interception came in the 2015 season opener against Sam Houston State.
• Zach Barnes recorded his first career forced fumble with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter. The fumble was recovered by Malik Jenkins, the first of his career.
• Kash Knutson recorded his first career catch on a 22-yard pass from Nic Shimonek with 1:54 remaining in the third quarter.
• Clayton Hatfield connected on a 43-yard field goal with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter. He is now 15-for-17 on field goal attemps during his career.
• Reginald Davis III led the Red Raiders with 107 all-purpose yards as he caught two passes for 80 yards and then added 27 yards via his lone kick return.
• Derrick Willies caught two passes for 47 yards in his Red Raider debut.
• Quan Shorts hauled in his first career reception with 11:25 remaining in the game on a 16-yard strike from Nic Shimonek.
