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Texas Tech Rallies Past West Virginia 53–48 in Wild Big 12 Finish

Thomas Castellanos threw five touchdown passes as the Red Raiders erased a fourth-quarter deficit in Lubbock.

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November 8, 2026, at 5 a.m. Central time.

Texas Tech quarterback Thomas Castellanos threw five touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score with 2:44 left, as the Red Raiders rallied to beat West Virginia 53–48 in Lubbock on Saturday night.

The game stretched into early Sunday and featured two dramatic reversals: Texas Tech led by 14 points at halftime, but West Virginia scored three unanswered third-quarter touchdowns to move ahead 48–41. The Red Raiders then scored the final 12 points, according to the Associated Press report published by Texas Tech.

The late comeback

Castellanos found Kenny Johnson for a five-yard touchdown with 2:44 left in the fourth quarter, putting Texas Tech ahead 51–48 after the extra point, the Big 12 game record shows. West Virginia's final possession ended in a safety when quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. stumbled in the end zone, adding the game's last two points, AP reported.

Castellanos finished with 362 passing yards and 102 rushing yards. His five touchdown passes were a career high, according to AP. Texas Tech running back J'Koby Williams added 160 yards on the ground, including a 75-yard touchdown run.

What the result means

The result moved Texas Tech to 8–1 overall and 5–1 in Big 12 play; West Virginia fell to 5–4 and 2–4. Both teams passed 580 yards of total offense, according to Texas Tech's game center.

The Red Raiders next travel to Oklahoma State. For West Virginia, the late defensive stand that briefly turned a 14-point halftime deficit into a seven-point lead was not enough to preserve the result.

Scoring by quarter

Texas Tech led 41–27 at halftime. West Virginia scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to lead 48–41; the Red Raiders answered with 12 points in the fourth. Source: Big 12 official box score. Times follow game clock.

Where they played

The star marks the approximate Galaxy Stadium area in Lubbock, Texas.

Approximate location. Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Sources and visual credits

Associated Press via Texas Tech · Texas Tech game center · Big 12 box score.

Hero and thumbnail: conceptual editorial illustration, not a photograph. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.