Sept 8, 2001

Stats

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Kliff Kingsbury threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns and Ivory McCann returned a kickoff 100-plus yards as Texas Tech beat New Mexico 42-30 in its season opener Saturday night.

New Mexico (1-1) had just gotten within 21-17 when McCann, a freshman, fielded the kickoff 8 yards deep in the end zone.

Instead of downing the ball, McCann sprinted out of the end zone and went untouched down the field.

Officially, it was only 100 yards. And it was the end for New Mexico, which had just converted a botched punt snap into a 21-yard field goal by Vladimir Borombozin.

The Lobos then went four straight possessions without a first down before Kingsbury hit Ricky Williams on a screen pass that turned into a 32-yard TD with 12:50 left. Paul McClendon's 54-yard fumble return gave Tech a 42-17 lead before New Mexico scored twice in the final 3:25.

Kingsbury completed 30 of 49 passes with two interceptions. Nehemiah Glover had nine catches for 102 yards while tailback Williams, who also ran for 55 yards on 14 carries, caught seven passes for 89 yards.

Tech outgained New Mexico 426 total yards to 332. The Lobos got 156 of their yards on the last two TD drives.

Kingsbury had 265 yards by halftime and put Tech ahead to stay with two touchdowns in less than two minutes midway through the second quarter.

Wes Welker made an over-the-shoulder catch in the corner of the end zone for an 18-yard TD with 8:50 left. After New Mexico went three-and-out, Kingsbury had three straight completions - 15, 20 and 24 yards - the last caught by Mickey Peters for a score.

Jarrod Baxter had his second straight 100-yard game for New Mexico, with 23 carries for 106 yards and two TDs - the last a 4-yarder with 3:25 left. Rudy Caamano, who was 11-of-24 passing for 122 yards, found Rashaun Sanders wide open for a 15-yard TD with 51 seconds left.

New Mexico had a 7-3 led when Baxter scored on a 3-yard run just two plays after Stephen Persley blocked a punt late in the first quarter.

Caamano scored on a 5-yard keeper, on the fourth play after an interception by Gary Davis, to get New Mexico within 21-14 just before halftime.

The Red Raiders went 70 yards on 13 plays their first possession but had to settle for the first of Robert Treece's two field goals.