Behren Morton avoids serious injury after hard hit to neck

Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton entered Saturday’s matchup with Utah determined to play despite nagging injury concerns. However, the Red Raiders’ signal-caller once again found himself battling through adversity.

Morton left the field multiple times before being ruled out in the second half, with the most worrying moment coming in the third quarter after a scramble ended in a violent hit to the head.

Utah linebacker Trey Reynolds was flagged for targeting on the play, though officials overturned the penalty upon review. Morton stayed down for several seconds before being escorted off the field, leaving Red Raider fans uneasy.

Earlier, he had also absorbed a hard hit on a sack, momentarily losing the football before a teammate secured it. While his night ended early, redshirt freshman Will Hammond stepped in to finish the job, leading a scoring drive that helped Texas Tech close out a decisive 34-10 road victory.

The good news, according to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports, is that Morton avoided a serious injury.

Though sore from the neck-area hit, sources told On3 that he is not expected to miss any time. With Texas Tech on a bye before visiting Houston on Oct. 4, Morton should have time to recover and return under center.

The update offers relief for a program that rose to No. 12 in the latest AP Top 25 and has every reason to believe it can continue its early momentum.

The game itself was not the offensive shootout many expected. Instead, it turned into a defensive contest where turnovers and penalties shaped the outcome.

Texas Tech’s defense stifled Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, forcing three giveaways in the first half alone. The Red Raiders carried a 10-3 lead into the break before breaking away in the final two quarters.

Utah, once seen as a dark-horse Big 12 contender, faltered under pressure, and its home crowd could not swing the momentum.

That crowd had shown up in full force. Thousands of Utah fans packed Rice-Eccles Stadium before dawn, creating one of the most electric atmospheres of Week 4.

National outlets posted viral clips of the pre-dawn energy, with tailgaters arriving by 4 a.m. and chants echoing long before kickoff. Yet, despite the intensity, the Utes could not deliver inside their own stadium.

For Texas Tech, the storyline is twofold: Morton’s health appears intact, and the team has made a loud statement by moving to 4-0. If the Red Raiders can build on their defensive resilience while Morton continues to recover, they could be a legitimate Big 12 force this fall.