Texas Tech University Athletics
Football beats Utah State 38-16
September 02, 2000 | Football
Sept. 2, 2000
LUBBOCK, Texas - Kliff Kingsbury threw for a school-record 450 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, leading Texas Tech to a 38-16 victory over Utah State on Saturday night.
Kingsbury completed 33 of 47 passes with one interception, breaking the school's single-game passing yardage mark of 446 set in 1988 by Billy Joe Tolliver against Oklahoma State.
It was the Red Raiders' second victory with their new pass-oriented offense under new coach Mike Leach.
Tech held the Aggies (0-1) scoreless until about four minutes left in the first half. Utah State's Brad Bohn kicked a 43-yard field goal after the Aggies came up short on their first six possessions. That cut the Red Raiders' lead to 21-3.
Tech scored in the first quarter on Kingsbury's a 1-yard run, set up by his 47-yard pass to freshman Carlos Francis, and on Dorian Pitts' 6-yard fumble return. Kingsbury threw 19 yards to Darrell Jones for a second-quarter touchdown.
Jeff Crosbie threw for both of Utah State's two touchdowns, a 23-yard pass to Aaron Jones in the third quarter to Aaron Jones and a 5-yard pass to Joe Solosabal in the fourth quarter.
Utah State's Emmett White was the game's leading rusher with 143 yards.
Kingsbury connected with Francis four times for 170 yards, including a 45-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter. It's the first time Kingsbury has gone deep in the new offense. The Red Raiders used short passes to beat New Mexico last week.
After Tech's 24-3 victory last week over New Mexico, Kingsbury said if he could give himself a grade for his performance he'd fail himself because he missed more passes than he completed - going 21 of 47 passes for 186 yards.
Against Utah State, Kingsbury's stats more than met Leach's expectations.
Kingsbury's touchdown pass to Francis came after the Raiders pressured Aggies punter Kjell Nesen, who kicked only 16 yards to the Utah State 45.
The Raiders' opening score wasn't easy. After Kingsbury's 47-yard pass to Francis put the ball on the Utah State 22, Ricky Williams ran for 7 yards, but a false-start penalty cost Tech five yards. But Kingsbury then hit King Scovell for 10 yards and Cole Roberts for 9 yards. On fourth-and-goal, Kingsbury scored from a yard out.
Tech's next possession crumbled when a wild pass by Kingsbury was intercepted by Utah State's Tony Walker. But Crosbie then found himself under the pressure of Pitts, who forced the Utah State quarterback to retreat 14 yards before a fumble that Pitts returned 6 yards for a 14-0 lead with 1:41 left in the first quarter.
By PAM EASTON
Associated Press Writer
