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Linebackers steal the show as Texas Tech football tops Kansas State
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- Linebackers steal the show as Texas Tech football tops Kansas State
MANHATTAN, Kan. — John Curry was 3 years old the last time ESPN's College GameDay set up shop in Lubbock for a Texas Tech football game against top-ranked Texas in 2008.
After Texas Tech moved to 8-1 with a 43-20 victory Saturday, Nov. 1, at Kansas State , GameDay wasted no time announcing it would be back for this coming week's Big 12 showdown between No. 13 Tech and No. 10 Brigham Young at Jones AT&T Stadium.
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Curry and his linebacker compadres nailed it down on Saturday. Tech (8-1, 5-1 in the Big 12) forced five turnovers, turned four into touchdowns and won in Manhattan for the first time since that storied 2008 season. The linebackers — Jacob Rodriguez , Ben Roberts and Curry — were the primary disruptors.
"These are the best guys I've ever been around. They're my best friends," said Rodriguez, seated next to the other two. "The way they played today and flew around taking the ball away, it's special when you can take five."
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In the game's last five minutes, Curry had a 10-yard fumble-return touchdown and Roberts intercepted a pass, setting up Behren Morton 's second touchdown throw of the day, both to Caleb Douglas .
"I was really scared that I was not going to pick it up," Curry said of his scoop-and-score. "I thought it was going to go between my legs for a litlte but, but Ben kind of gave me an assist. So that was awesome."
Kansas State (4-5, 3-3) came into the week tied for third in the FBS in turnovers gained with 17 and tied for seventh in the FBS in turnover margin at plus-1.12 per game. The Red Raiders beat the Wildcats at their own game.
Rodriguez used his patented Peanut Punch — a fist to the ball — for his FBS-leading sixth and seventh forced fumbles of the season. Cameron Dickey scored after one Brice Pollock recovered, giving Tech its first lead at 9-7. J'Koby Williams' 41-yard touchdown after a Cole Wisniewski recovery made it 19-7 in the third quarter. Williams finished with 135 rushing yards, a career high.
MANHATTAN, KS - NOVEMBER 01: Linebacker John Curry #6 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders runs into the end zone for a touchdown after picking up a fumble against the Kansas State Wildcats in the second half at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
K-State quarterback Avery Johnson ran for 46- and 18-yard touchdowns, the latter narrowing the gap to 19-14 at 9:51 in the third quarter. The Red Raiders outscored the Wildcats 24-6 the rest of the way.
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Pollock also had his fourth interception of the season. Edge defender Romello Height had a strip sack, causing the fumble Curry ran in.
"We just never gave up," Roberts said. "We continued to play with high effort and running to the ball, and that's really what did it for us. We were able to take the ball away because of that."
Nov 1, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Ben Roberts (13) celebrates with safety Brenden Jordan (7) and cornerback Maurion Horn (4) after intercepting a pass against the Kansas State Wildcats during the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images
Kansas State had won eight in a row and 12 of 13 in the series. Tech coach Joey McGuire wore a T-shirt into the post-game press conference with a picture of Tech athletics director and former Kansas State linebacker Kirby Hocutt. The picture was of Hocutt in a weight-room workout setting during his playing days.
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"It's been a long time since we've beat K-State," McGuire said. "This is how much I care about him. I know it's a big win for him, and I know it's a huge win for this team."
In the spring of 2024, McGuire went to Detroit to visit with Lions coach Dan Campbell and his staff. He said punching at the football was something he saw then-Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn emphasize during a drill with no pads, so he decided the Red Raiders could do the same.
Since then, Rodriguez has 10 caused fumbles. Last week against Oklahoma State , he wrestled the ball from a running back and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown.
The trip to Manhattan was a road game that didn't feel like most for Rodriguez. His wife Emma, a U.S. Army helicopter pilot, is stationed at Fort Riley, only 17 miles from Bill Snyder Family Stadium. On Friday, Rodriguez invited Roberts, Curry and two other linebackers — Wesley Smith and Bryce Ramirez — over to their house to hang out for a couple of hours.
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"It was great to have them around and just kind of relax," Rodriguez said. "Even though it's an away game, it felt like I was in my own home and I was able to show them that. For them to be a part of it, it was a huge blessing, and I was just so thankful for coach McGuire and them letting me do that."
This week, the special occasion will be ESPN's College GameDay coming to the Tech campus.
"I've always heard about how awesome it was that (2008) game and GameDay was there," Curry said, "but I wanted to be able to experience that for myself. It's awesome to be able to be able to bring that to Lubbock."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Linebackers steal the show as Texas Tech football tops Kansas State
