The No. 11 BYU Cougars face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Big 12 Conference Championship, with the winner guaranteeing a spot in the College Football Playoff. With everything on the line, the Cougars managed to record the first points of the contest with an impressive opening-drive touchdown. That score snapped a season-long streak held by the Red Raiders.
BYU's early score marks the first time this season an opponent has scored a touchdown on the opening drive against Texas Tech, according to freelance journalist for the Associated Press, John Coon. The Cougars were unstoppable on the drive, as the offense marched down the field for 90 yards while taking 6:50 off the game clock.
“BYU is the first Texas Tech opponent to score on its opening drive this season. The Cougars got it done with a 14-play, 90-yard drive that took 6:50 off the clock.”
The score came on a 10-yard run by BYU running back LJ Martin. It was the 12th rushing touchdown for Martin this season, as the junior rusher is having a stellar campaign. During the Cougars' push for the postseason, Martin entered the Big 12 Conference Championship leading the conference in rushing yards (1,229).
BYU STRIKES FIRST 👀
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BYU ended the first quarter with a 7-3 lead. However, Texas Tech managed to retake the lead early in the second quarter with a touchdown itself. As of this publishing, the Red Raiders hold a 10-7 lead with about 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter. This matchup has major implications for the CFP, as other programs will benefit or not depending on who wins the game.


















