Best Texas Tech wins of the Joey McGuire era

Texas Tech enters the 2025 season with sky high expectations. Since Joey McGuire got named the head man in Lubbock prior to 2022, the Red Raiders have finished with a winning record in all three seasons. With the monetary investment made in the coaches, players and facilities this offseason, now is the time to take the next step and go from a winning program to a program that competes for Big 12 and national championships.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets take a trip back down memory lane and review some of Texas Tech’s best wins of the last three seasons. Texas Tech is 23-16 in that time, with a few wins mixed in there sure to be remembered in West Texas for a very long time.

Honorable Mentions

• Texas Tech 30-22 Arizona State (September 21, 2024)

This game was a nice home conference win at the time but looked better with each passing week considering what Arizona State went on to do in winning the Big 12. Tech was really able to limit Cam Skattebo on the ground, holding him to just 3.3 yards per carry. Sam Leavitt also had a very pedestrian afternoon, and the Red Raiders held on for an eight point win behind solid days from Behren Morton, Tahj Brooks and Josh Kelly.

• Texas Tech 56-48 Oklahoma State (November 23, 2024)

A shootout reminiscent of the old days, this truly felt like the last team with the ball was going to win. It was announced prior to the game that Oklahoma State would be starting true freshman quarterback Maealiuaki Smith which may have given false confidence in the minds of Tech fans. Smith balled out, throwing for 316 yards and totaling 3 touchdowns. Tech also couldn’t stop Cowboy legend Ollie Gordon. Thankfully for the Red Raiders the offense did their thing, and a late scoop and score by Jacob Rodriguez was enough to escape Stillwater with a win. Though Oklahoma State was not a good team in 2024, it’s always tough to win in Boone Pickens Stadium which the Red Raiders were able to accomplish.

• Texas Tech 33-30 Houston (September 10, 2022)

Maybe the most improbable win on the list considering what Texas Tech had to overcome that afternoon to walk away with the victory. With 37 seconds remaining in regulation Houston kicked a go-ahead field to take their first lead of the game, 20-17. After Tech tied it to go to overtime, Houston won the coin toss, and Dana Holgorsen inexplicably decided to take the ball as opposed to playing defense first. The Cougars would go on to score and then force Tech into a 4th and 20, with ESPN giving Houston a 94.6% chance of winning the game at that point. Tech would convert and the rest is history. Donovan Smith walked it off in the second overtime with a 9 yard rushing score.

1) Texas Tech 37-34 Texas (September 24, 2022)

Was there any question as to what would be the top win on this list? Joey McGuire’s fourth game as Texas Tech head coach was an instant classic, with Texas Tech converting 6/8 fourth downs to sneak out a home win in overtime. Tech was down most of the game, including 31-17 late in the 3rd quarter. ESPN gave Texas a 95.0% chance of winning the game at that point but Tech kept chipping away, and after future Texas 1st round pick Bijan Robinson fumbled to start overtime, Trey Wolff ended it with a 20 yard kick to send the home fans into a frenzy.

Notable performances include Donovan Smith going 38/56 for 331 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions while adding 42 rushing yards and another score. Junior running back Tahj Brooks caught a receiving touchdown in the game, one of only two for his Red Raider career. Slot wide receiver Myles Price caught 13 passes for 98 receiving yards in the game.

2) Texas Tech 23-22 Iowa State (November 2, 2024)

A huge road win over the eventual Big 12 runner ups, Texas Tech entered the game as 14.5 point underdogs but came out victorious, with the win being Texas Tech’s sixth of the season and ensuring bowl eligibility. Iowa State was 7-0 and ranked #11 going in, while Tech was coming off back-to-back frustrating losses to Baylor and TCU.

Standout performances include Tahj Brooks taking 25 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown and wideout Josh Kelly making 8 receptions for 127 yards and two scores. Jacob Rodriguez was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his day which included 13 tackles, 2 sacks, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble.

3) Texas Tech 51-48 Oklahoma (November 26, 2022)

Texas Tech’s most recent game vs the Sooners was a wild one on a Thanksgiving weekend in 2022. Oklahoma got off to a blistering start, taking a 24-6 lead midway through the 2nd quarter. Tech would fight back though behind huge nights from Tyler Shough (436 passing yards), SaRodorick Thompson (2 rushing touchdowns) and Jerand Bradley (173 receiving yards).

It was a back-and-forth second half, with kicker Trey Wolff sending the game to overtime on a 43 yard field goal. In overtime Oklahoma’s kicker would shank his attempt, which set up Wolff for yet another game winner in a season full of them.

4) Texas Tech 42-25 Ole Miss (December 28, 2022)

Beating SEC teams is always sweet, doing so in dominant fashion makes it even better. Ole Miss was a 4.5 point favorite in the Texas Bowl, but Tech was the better team from the jump and kept it up the entire game. Lane Kiffin’s aggressiveness failed him big time, as the Rebels were just 2/7 on 4th down on the night.

Meanwhile Tyler Shough did it all, throwing for 242 yards and rushing for another 111 on the ground. Loic Fouonji had a memorable game too, making 7 receptions for 100 yards and also returning an onside kick for a touchdown. The victory capped off an 8-5 season for Joey McGuire in his first as Texas Tech head coach.

5) Texas Tech 16-13 Kansas (November 11, 2023)

An underrated win for Texas Tech in Lawrence, KS that comes in at No. 5 on my list. This was not your average Kansas team, as Lance Leipold was well on his way to putting the country on notice. The Jayhawks entered the game 7-2 and ranked #16 in the country, while Tech was 4-5 entering the day. Kansas quarterback Jason Bean was forced to leave the game early due to injury which forced freshman Cole Ballard into action. The Tech defense was solid all game, holding a shutout entering the 4th quarter.

Though Kansas did end up tying it with 25 seconds left, Behren Morton had one more trick up his sleeve and took the Red Raiders right down the field to set up a Gino Garcia game-winning 30 yard field goal.

The win was the second of what turned into three consecutive victories which meant bowl eligibility for McGuire and the Red Raiders once again.