Texas Tech placed four players on PFF’s Big 12 Week 4 team after a 49-14 win over Sam Houston, led by Austin Romaine’s historic two-pick-six day.
Texas Tech’s defense didn’t just beat Sam Houston ... it took over the game, and Pro Football Focus noticed.
Four Red Raiders earned spots on PFF’s Big 12 Week 4 Team of the Week after Texas Tech’s 49-14 win over Sam Houston, with A.J. Holmes Jr., Austin Romaine, Brenden Jordan and Jacob Ponton all recognized.
Holmes and Romaine also made PFF’s national team, giving Tech two of the top defensive performances in the country.
Romaine delivered the headline moment.
The linebacker intercepted two consecutive Sam Houston passes and returned both for touchdowns, scoring on returns of 15 and 31 yards.
He became the first FBS player in 13 years to record pick-sixes on back-to-back throws.
Romaine also finished with eight tackles, making his performance one of the most memorable defensive outings of the season.
Holmes gave Texas Tech another dominant presence up front, while Jordan added another layer of recognition in the secondary.
Together, those three selections gave the Red Raiders three of the 11 defensive spots on PFF’s Big 12 team, more than any other conference program.
Ponton was the lone offensive representative for Tech, earning the right tackle spot on the conference team.
The defensive recognition mattered even more because Texas Tech needed that unit to steady the game early.
The Red Raiders committed four turnovers offensively and went into halftime leading just 21-14 before pulling away with 28 unanswered second-half points.
The defense held Sam Houston to 269 total yards, including only 74 on the ground.
That balance is becoming a defining part of this Texas Tech team.
The Red Raiders now head to Colorado for their first Big 12 road game with a defense that has shown it can create pressure, force turnovers and generate points on its own.
If Romaine, Holmes and the rest of the unit keep playing at this level, Texas Tech won’t need its offense to be perfect every week.
The defense is proving it can carry the load too.
