Texas Tech's Thomas Castellanos made his first start and led the No. 13 Red Raiders to a 34-26 victory over No. 22 Arizona on October 31, 2026, reshaping the Big 12 championship race.
Coach Joey McGuire benched starting quarterback Will Hammond in favor of Castellanos, a senior transfer playing under a temporary injunction. Castellanos responded with 117 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus 144 passing yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first Texas Tech quarterback to rush for 100 yards since Tyler Shough.
The quarterback's running threat opened up the offense, allowing running back J'Koby Williams to explode for 175 yards and a touchdown, including a decisive 64-yard score in the fourth quarter. Texas Tech's 328 rushing yards were the most allowed by Arizona since 2020.
Despite completing only 11 of 24 passes, Castellanos provided a spark that helped the Red Raiders overcome a struggling first half. However, his eligibility remains uncertain due to the temporary injunction, which was previously dissolved earlier in the season.
The win keeps Texas Tech in the Big 12 title hunt, while Arizona's five-game winning streak ends. The Wildcats had won their previous three games by an average of 28 points per game.
