Texas Tech Kicker Stone Harrington Earns Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week Recognition Following Win Over Arizona State

Key Points

• Texas Tech placekicker Stone Harrington was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week following his standout performance in the team’s 53-25 victory over Arizona State during Homecoming.
• Harrington converted four field goals (from 31, 42, 37, and 34 yards) and scored 17 total points, falling just one field goal short of his own single-game school record.
• Harrington became just the fifth kicker in Big 12 conference history to record at least four career games with four or more made field goals.
• The honor marks Texas Tech’s fourth Big 12 Special Teams award of the season, joining punter Will Karoll, who earned three awards across a four-week stretch to open the campaign.
• Texas Tech has secured seven weekly conference awards this season, with the defensive line unit also earning accolades alongside Harrington following the Arizona State contest.
• No. 8 Texas Tech travels to face the Cincinnati Bearcats in its first-ever road trip to Nippert Stadium on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

Lubbock (Edition Online) October 19, 2026 – No. 8 Texas Tech Red Raiders secured a dominant 53-25 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils during Homecoming weekend in Lubbock, propelled by an exceptional, complete-team effort across all three phases of the game. At the center of the third phase was placekicker Stone Harrington, whose clinical performance earned him the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week award. Harrington registered 17 points, converting four field goals to steadily extend the Red Raiders’ lead while providing a crucial scoring insurance policy for head coach Joey McGuire’s offense.

As reported by the sports desk of Evening Washington, Texas Tech delivered one of its most comprehensive performances of the 2026 college football season on Saturday, dismantling Arizona State on both sides of the ball while executing flawlessly on special teams. While offensive explosive plays and defensive takeaways naturally captured the headlines, Harrington’s footwork provided the methodical engine that put the game entirely out of reach.

Harrington’s four successful field goals against Arizona State were just one shy of tying Texas Tech’s all-time single-game program record—a mark he personally established last season during a landmark win over BYU. In addition to his four field goals, Harrington converted five extra-point attempts, contributing 17 of the Red Raiders’ 53 points on the afternoon.

The conference honor came as little surprise to college football analysts. With his four-field-goal output against Arizona State, Harrington etched his name deeper into the conference record books, becoming only the fifth placekicker in Big 12 history to achieve four career games featuring four or more successful field goals.

Though this marks Harrington’s first conference award of the 2026 campaign, it continues an extraordinary pattern of weekly accolades for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have now captured four Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honours this season alone. Australian punter Will Karoll set the standard earlier in the year, claiming back-to-back honours and winning three awards in the opening four weeks of the schedule. In total, Texas Tech has accumulated seven Big 12 weekly awards this season, with the Red Raiders’ defensive line unit also earning weekly honors alongside Harrington following Saturday’s game.

Heading into the 2026 campaign, head coach Joey McGuire made it explicitly clear that he wanted the Red Raiders to capitalize on every red-zone drive with touchdowns, coining the phrase “No Stone Zone” in reference to preferring six points over three from his kicker. However, Harrington’s metronomic reliability has served as a critical safety net when quarterback Will Hammond and the offense stall near the goal line. Rather than walking away empty-handed, McGuire can call upon Harrington to guarantee points and maintain relentless scoreboard pressure.

Texas Tech now turns its focus to a challenging road test against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. Marking the program’s first-ever road trip to Cincinnati, the undefeated Red Raiders will look to protect their top-ten ranking, with Harrington standing by as a proven asset in close-contest management.

How did Stone Harrington earn the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honor?

Stone Harrington earned the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week award through a clinical placekicking exhibition during No. 8 Texas Tech’s 53-25 win over Arizona State. Harrington converted field goal attempts from 31 yards, 42 yards, 37 yards, and 34 yards. Coupled with five extra points, Harrington personally accounted for 17 of Texas Tech’s total points, ensuring the Red Raiders converted drives into points even when the offense stalled short of the end zone.

What historic milestone did Stone Harrington achieve in the Big 12 conference?

By converting four field goals against Arizona State, Stone Harrington became just the fifth placekicker in Big 12 history to record at least four career games with four or more field goals made. This accomplishment underscores his long-term consistency as one of the most productive special teams players in conference history.

How many Big 12 weekly awards has Texas Tech won this season?

Texas Tech has accumulated a total of seven Big 12 weekly individual awards during the 2026 season. Four of those honors have belonged exclusively to the special teams unit: three were won by punter Will Karoll across the first four weeks of the season, and the fourth was secured by Stone Harrington following his performance in Week 7. The Red Raiders’ defensive line unit was also recognized in the same week as Harrington.

What is Coach Joey McGuire’s “No Stone Zone” philosophy?

Head coach Joey McGuire introduced the phrase “No Stone Zone” prior to the season to reflect his high standards for red-zone offensive efficiency. McGuire wanted Texas Tech’s offense to finish drives inside the 20-yard line with seven points (touchdowns) rather than settling for three points via Stone Harrington’s field goals. However, Harrington’s incredible reliability from distance provides McGuire and offensive leader Will Hammond with a low-risk safety valve when red-zone drives break down.

Background of Texas Tech’s Special Teams Dominance

Under head coach Joey McGuire, Texas Tech has placed a premium on special teams play as a foundational pillar of its program philosophy. Rather than viewing special teams as a secondary phase of football, the Red Raiders have invested heavily in technical specialists, recruiting talent such as Australian punter Will Karoll and refined placekickers like Stone Harrington.

Harrington’s collegiate development reached national prominence during the 2025 season, most notably in a breakout 29-7 victory over No. 8 BYU, where he set Texas Tech’s single-game program record by converting five field goals. That performance eclipsed a school record that had stood for decades and had previously been tied by 13 different kickers.

The 2026 season has seen Texas Tech’s special teams unit achieve unprecedented consistency. Karoll’s exceptional punting early in the year consistently flipped field position, resulting in three Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors in a four-week stretch. Coupled with Harrington’s accurate field goal conversion rate and high touchback percentages on kickoffs, special teams coordinator and head coach Joey McGuire have turned third-phase execution into a major competitive advantage, allowing Texas Tech to climb into top-ten national rankings.

Prediction: How This Development Affects Texas Tech, Opponents, and Fans

Impact on Texas Tech’s Game Strategy

Harrington’s elite form provides offensive coordinator and head coach Joey McGuire with tremendous operational flexibility. While McGuire prefers touchdowns in the red zone, knowing Harrington is near-automatic from inside 45 yards changes four-down decision-making. On 4th-and-medium inside opponent territory, Texas Tech can consistently take high-value points rather than taking unnecessary fourth-down risks, ensuring the team stays ahead on the scoreboard during tough road environments like the upcoming clash against Cincinnati.

Impact on Big 12 Opponents

Opponents facing Texas Tech can no longer rely on defensive holds in the red zone to gain momentum. Defensive coordinators must recognize that halting Texas Tech inside the 30-yard line still almost guarantees three points conceded. This places extreme pressure on opposing offenses to match Texas Tech touchdown-for-touchdown, driving up aggressive play-calling and increasing turnover risks against Texas Tech’s opportunistic defense.

Impact on Red Raider Fans and Fantasy College Football

For Texas Tech supporters, Harrington’s presence eliminates the anxiety typically associated with college placekicking. His reliability cements Texas Tech as a complete, top-tier playoff contender capable of winning games through defense, power running, and special teams execution. Additionally, for college fantasy football managers, Harrington remains one of the premier kicker assets in the nation, providing a high scoring floor due to Texas Tech’s high-volume offense and red-zone frequency.