Harrington, Defensive Line garner Big 12 weekly accolades
October 06, 2025 | Football
Texas Tech’s defensive line was recognized for the second time this season as the league’s top unit
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech junior kicker Stone Harrington and the Red Raider defensive line were recognized with Big 12 weekly awards Monday following a strong performance from both in a 35-11 victory over Houston.
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Harrington was named the league's Special Teams Player of the Week after he contributed three of Texas Tech's five field goals in the win, setting a new team single-game record in the process. Harrington was 3-for-5 on field goal attempts overall, finding the uprights from 26, 23 and 26 yards out with both misses coming from 40-plus yards.
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Harrington, who split field goal duties with fellow kicker Upton Bellenfant, is now 7-for-9 on attempts this season. The Red Raiders snapped the previous Texas Tech single-game record of four field goals that has been set on 13 different occasions with the last coming in 2020 versus Baylor. Harrington was also successful in his kickoff duties, booting five of his nine attempts for touchdowns with the four others brought out to only a 19.5 average.
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The Red Raiders also garnered the league's new top defensive line honor after another dominating performance up front where Texas Tech limited the Cougars to 12 first downs, 103 rushing yards and only 267 yards of total offense. The Red Raider defensive line was consistently in the backfield, penetrating the Houston offensive line to the tune of 22 total pressures according to Pro Football Focus.
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The vast majority of that total came from the Red Raider defensive line as David Bailey was credited with 11 pressures followed by Skyler Gill-Howard with four, Romello Height with three and Lee Hunter with two. The result was another strong showing for a defense that ranks now ranks fourth nationally in points allowed (11.2 per game) and ninth for total defense (244.4 yards per game). Texas Tech is PFF's highest-graded defense through six weeks of the season at 94.9 overall and its third-best pass-rushing unit with a 90.4 grade.
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The win over Houston marked Texas Tech's second Big 12 road win in as many games to start conference play with both victories coming by at least 24 points. The Red Raiders have now allowed only 56 points this year, their fewest through the first five games of a season since 1946.
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The Red Raiders have been regular recipients on the Big 12 weekly award lists this season as Skyler Gill-Howard (Sept. 8), Brice Pollock (Sept. 15) and Jacob Rodriguez (Sept. 22) were previously recognized with the league's top defensive honor, while Will Hammond was recognized as the top freshman and offensive player following the win at Utah. Texas Tech's defensive line was also tabbed the conference's top unit that same week after a similar performance against the Utes.
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The win over Houston ends Texas Tech's only road stretch of back-to-back road games this season as the Red Raiders return to the friendly confines of Jones AT&T Stadium this Saturday to host Kansas for Homecoming. Tickets for the 6:30 p.m. kick are already sold out, and all fans are encouraged to wear black.
