Castellanos, Williams Lead Tech Past Arizona in Galaxy Stadium Thriller

Turning Point in the Third Quarter

The decisive moment in Saturday’s contest arrived in the third quarter when Texas Tech quarterback Thomas Castellanos drove the Red Raiders downfield. After Kedrick Reescano scored for Arizona, Castellanos took over with the game tied at 17. He capped the drive with an eight-yard rushing touchdown, putting the home team ahead for good.

That lead was extended moments later when Kenny Johnson caught a 27-yard pass from Castellanos, giving Texas Tech a 24-17 cushion that would prove insurmountable.

First Half Scoreboard

The game began with Arizona establishing an early lead. Michael Salgado-Medina kicked a 35-yard field goal to give the Wildcats a 3-0 advantage. Texas Tech responded in the first quarter when Terrance Carter Jr. caught a 24-yard pass from Castellanos, followed by a successful kick by Stone Harrington to take a 7-3 lead.

The second quarter saw a flurry of scoring. Arizona’s Noah Fifita connected with Isaiah Mizell on a 94-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 10-7. Kedrick Reescano then rumbled in for a five-yard touchdown run to extend the Arizona lead to 17-7. Stone Harrington kicked a 29-yard field goal to close out the half, leaving the visitors up 17-10.

Final Stretch and Records

In the fourth quarter, Texas Tech pulled away. Stone Harrington added a 42-yard field goal to make it 27-23. J'Koby Williams then broke free for a 64-yard rushing touchdown, accompanied by a kick from Stone Harrington, to give the Red Raiders a 34-27 lead. Salgado-Medina kicked a 22-yard field goal for Arizona to end the scoring, leaving the final score at 34-26.

Castellanos finished with 11 of 24 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Williams rushed for 175 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown. Kenny Johnson caught four passes for 49 yards and one touchdown.

For Arizona, Fifita completed 33 of 45 passes for 417 yards and one touchdown. Reescano had 18 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns, while Mizell caught seven passes for 182 yards and one touchdown.

The victory improved Texas Tech’s record to 7-1, while Arizona fell to 6-2. The game was played at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, with an attendance of 59,131.

Sources

ESPN