Red Raiders 'Found A Way to Win': Texas Tech Coach Joey McGuire's Honest Reaction

Senior wide receiver Coy Eakin was given the No. 3 jersey - a symbolic digit within Texas Tech's football program - because he demonstrates the traits the Red Raiders hope to embody most: toughness and hard work.

Oftentimes, those traits are best seen in how a team responds to adversity and discomfort, especially in hostile territory.

No. 13-ranked Texas Tech faced those challenges on Saturday in nearly being upset by Oregon State in Corvallis as the Beavers battled to take a 24-21 lead.

But it was Eakin's touchdown reception from Will Hammond that put the Red Raiders ahead for good en route to a 35-24 win.

"Just like Will says all the time in the huddle, find a way to win," Eakin said postgame about his team's mindset in crunch time. "It doesn't matter what kind of game it is, sometimes it goes that way, sometimes it's us on offense that can't get things going. So at the end of the day, just got to find a way to win.

"And I just like how we came in there, you know, with one mindset, keeping the huddles tight, creating our own energy. I think we did a great job of that."

It was about as ugly as a win could come, but in soggy playing conditions and for a program that has made a habit of underperforming in early-season road games, this will work.

"It was a tough-fought win; I love being on that side," said head coach Joey McGuire, earned his first non-conference road win and Texas Tech's first since 2017. "But second week in a row that we're putting ourselves in this situation."

McGuire pointed to the shortcomings that weren't for lack of execution but more lack of focus, which held the Red Raiders from finding points. One was an offsides call on a long punt return into the red zone. Another was Tech's two 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalties.

"One hundred percent hats off to Oregon State," McGuire added, "but we got to clean up some of our issues. We've got, still, way too many self-inflicted wounds."

Among those difficulties was the challenge Beavers quarterback Braden Atkinson presented on the Red Raiders' pass coverage. The sophomore targeted freshman wide recevier Jesse Legree on eight receptions for a healthy 240 yards and two touchdowns.

On the Red Raiders' side, McGuire acknowledged Eakin and receiver/returner Kenny Johnson "stepping up" with Hammond when the offense needed to produce. Running back J'Koby Williams had a big second half to finish with 116 yards rushing and a touchdown, as well.

"There was some good things that happened, but the biggest thing that happened was we found a way to win a game on the road that we were in a dog fight in the fourth quarter," McGuire added.

"As frustrated as I am at times, I'm not going to apologize for being 2-0."