LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech is ready to build off its first Big 12 win in nine tries, though coach Kliff Kingsbury didn’t see as sharp a performance as he’d like in his team’s 34-21 win over Kansas.
“It wasn’t our best game, that’s for sure,” the second-year coach said. “But I was just happy to see us find a way to win in the end.”
Davis Webb threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Red Raiders. The win snapped the Red Raiders’ eight-game Big 12 skid that dated to last season.
The loss for the Jayhawks was their fourth straight conference defeat this year and keeps interim coach Clint Bowen still in search of his first win.
Webb threw TD passes of 13, 8 and 6 yards. He also threw his 12th interception of the year, one of two errors the Jayhawks capitalized on with touchdowns.
But it wasn’t enough for Kansas, which has won just one conference game in its last 34 outings.
Red Raiders (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) freshman Justin Stockton scored on a 21-yard run to put the game out of reach.
Michael Cummings completed 20 of 32 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the Jayhawks (2-5, 0-4).
The Red Raiders dominated offensively, getting 507 total yards to the Jayhawks’ 363.
Webb, the second-best passer in the Big 12 coming into the game, completed 28 of 44 passes. Running back De’Andre Washington finished with 164 yards on 23 carries.
“If that’s what we’re having success at, we’ll keep doing it,” Kingsbury said. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to be able to throw it and win on the outside with our receivers and that is something that’s still coming along.”
Kansas coach Clint Bowen said he wanted to see better defense.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t adjust to a run play they threw on us a few times,” he said. “We knew what play they were running and we didn’t stop them.”
Ben Heeney, a standout linebacker on Kansas’ defense, had a career-high 17 solo tackles. His previous high was 15 last year against Duke.
“Probably a little bit of luck honestly,” Heeney said of his career day. “It was just a normal game, and I ended up making a little more than I usually do.
Texas Tech lost five straight conference games to close its regular season last year. The Red Raiders opened Big 12 play this season with losses to Oklahoma State, Kansas State and West Virginia.
Webb said next week’s matchup at TCU will be a tough test. But two the two touchdown drives in the second half have stoked his confidence.
“We’ve got to be able to do that next week because next week will be the best team we’ve played this year,” he said. “It should be a lot of fun in Fort Worth.”
The Jayhawks made it a one-possession game late in the third quarter when Cummings scored from 1 yard out to make it 27-21. The Red Raiders got their first rushing touchdown on their next possession, a 21-yard scamper up the middle by Stockton to put more distance, 34-21, between Texas Tech and Kansas.
Kansas got touchdowns off two mistakes by Webb, one in each half. The second came after Webb fumbled on the Red Raiders’ 40. Two plays later Cummings found Jimmay Mundine over the middle to pull within 20-14 with 8:34 remaining in the third quarter.
The Red Raiders answered quickly, with Webb capping a nine-play drive when he hit freshman receiver Ian Sadler on a 6-yard touchdown to go up 27-14.
Texas Tech led 17-7 at halftime off two touchdown passes by Webb. He got his first when he found Reginald Davis on a fade route in near corner of the end zone to put the Red Raiders up 10-0. Webb’s second TD pass, an 8-yarder to Bradley Marquez, made it 17-0. It was Texas Tech’s largest lead of the season and gave Marquez his seventh touchdown for the season, a career high.
On the Red Raiders next possession, Heeney intercepted Webb and returned it 37 yards to the Texas Tech 39. Cummings found Justin McCay for a 16-yard touchdown pass to pull the Jayhawks within 17-7.
The interception extended the Red Raiders streak of losing at least one turnover to 19 games; Webb has 12 now in seven games, compared to the nine in 10 games he had last season.