A Dominant Home Opening
Will Hammond’s 298 passing yards served as the anchor for a commanding home victory, as No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the visiting Abilene Christian Wildcats 33-10 on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock. The Red Raiders improved to 1-0, while the Wildcats fell to 0-2.
With 60,229 fans in attendance, the home side controlled the tempo from the opening kickoff, establishing a lead that never wavered despite a brief field goal exchange in the second quarter.
Scoring Breakdown
The Red Raiders struck first in the opening period, with Quinten Joyner rushing 14 yards for a touchdown, followed by J'Koby Williams adding a five-yard run. Stone Harrington made both extra points, putting Texas Tech up 14-0. The Wildcats responded in the second quarter with a 41-yard field goal by Brandon Perez, narrowing the deficit to 14-3.
However, Harrington extended the lead with a 23-yard field goal before halftime. The third quarter belonged exclusively to the Red Raiders, as Harrington converted three consecutive field goals from 28, 33, and 45 yards out, pushing the score to 26-3. In the fourth quarter, Hammond connected with Malcolm Simmons on a 64-yard pass for a touchdown, capping a 33-3 lead.
