Arizona · W 34-26
14 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 0 sacks
The other 7 games average 7 tackles. This one was 7 above.
“Could’ve extended the pick 6 streak. Come on romaine”
4 stories in the last 30 days, from 3 outlets.
Austin Romaine
Ranges from hash to hash and finishes the tackle. The four seasons span two programs and two head coaches: Chris Klieman and Joey McGuire. That makes two straight seasons on the honors list: All-Big 12 again in 2025. A game that shows it: 14 tackles and 0.5 sacks against Arizona — Week 9, 2026.
66 tackles · 1.5 sacks
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
Activity vs finishing · season enumeration
What the box score actually says
66 tackles. 3 passes defended. 2 interceptions. 4 TFL.
Counts only, never a rate — splash-event sample sizes this small (interceptions, pass breakups, TFL) are noise as a rate and signal only as a tally.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
from 3 outlets
Austin Romaine and John Curry lead Texas Tech defense in win over Arizona
On3 Oct 31 · 1 outlet
from 16 outlets
Double pick-6s: Texas Tech LB Austin Romaine returns 2 interceptions for TDs on consecutive passes
ABC News +3 Sep 26 · 4 outlets
ABC News +3Double pick-6s: Texas Tech LB Austin Romaine returns 2 interceptions for TDs on consecutive passesSep 26
The Dallas Morning NewsWatch: Texas Tech's Austin Romaine with pick-6s on back-to-back playsSep 26
Yahoo SportsTexas Tech’s Austin Romaine makes lightning strike twice against Sam HoustonSep 26
Lubbock Avalanche-JournalTexas Tech football's Austin Romaine reviews his back-to-back pick-6sSep 26The Dallas Morning NewsAustin Romaine earns spot in Texas Tech lore with pick-sixes on consecutive playsSep 27
CBS Sports +1Austin Romaine's two pick-6s lead Texas Tech past Sam HoustonSep 26
Houston ChronicleAustin Romaine's two quick defensive TDs send Texas Tech to rout of Sam HoustonSep 26
Field Level MediaAustin Romaine’s pair of pick 6s lead No. 11 Texas Tech to blowout winSep 26Lubbock Avalanche-JournalAustin Romaine cuts loose for career day in Texas Tech football winSep 26On3Austin Romaine and John Curry lead Texas Tech defense in win over ArizonaOct 31
KCBD +1Austin Romaine back-to-back INTs earns Big 12 Defensive Player of WeekSep 29Lubbock Avalanche-JournalAustin Romaine had two pick-6s. Here we rank Texas Tech football's most memorable ever - Lubbock Avalanche-JournalOct 1On3Lubbock Avalanche-JournalABC News +3On3On3
RoundtableEach week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
Stories we tracked, by school.
Texas Tech28 stories2026 to nowMost about: performance and stat line, win, awards and watch lists.
ABC News +3Double pick-6s: Texas Tech LB Austin Romaine returns 2 interceptions for TDs on consecutive passesSep 26CBS Sports +1Austin Romaine's two pick-6s lead Texas Tech past Sam HoustonSep 26KCBD +1Austin Romaine back-to-back INTs earns Big 12 Defensive Player of WeekSep 29Roundtable +1Austin Romaine Pulls Off The Nearly Impossible For Texas TechSep 29RoundtableFormer Kansas State LB Austin Romaine Expected To Have Big Season At Texas TechAug 4
Kansas State8 stories2023 to 2025Most about: in his words, performance and stat line, starting job and depth chart.
Locked OnAustin Romaine elevates Kansas State’s DefenseNov 6Locked OnAustin Romaine Injury Forces Kansas State to adapt—Can Gabe Powers perform?Nov 11Locked OnAustin Romaine’s Exit forces Kansas State to rebuild Linebackers in 2026Dec 24Locked OnTexas Tech plucks all big 12 linebacker Austin Romaine from K-stateJan 4
Heartland College SportsAll-Big 12 Transfer Linebacker Austin Romaine is Staying in the Big 12Jan 4Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Fans first named Austin Romaine vs Abilene Christian.
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Season | Team | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas Tech | 66 | 37 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | Kansas State | 66 | 41 | 7.0 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 | Kansas State | 96 | 54 | 7.5 | 2.0 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Kansas State | 22 | 14 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- |
| Career | 250 | 146 | 21.5 | 5.0 | 7 | 3 |
Last game (Wk 9): 14 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 8 games
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 33-10vs Abilene Christian | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-24@ Oregon State | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 28-26vs No. 22 Houston | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 4 | W 49-14vs Sam Houston | 8 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Wk 5 | W 29-7@ Colorado | 7 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 7 | W 53-25vs Arizona State | 8 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | 2 | |
| Wk 8 | L 24-37@ Cincinnati | 11 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | W 34-26vs No. 22 Arizona | 14 | 9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 14 tackles |
| Total | 66 | 37 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 2 | 3 |
Oct. 31 · W 34-26 vs Arizona, play by play
A big game: 14 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 5-yard loss. Fourth quarter, up 34-23.
His game this year: disruption in the backfield — 4 tackles for loss, 1 of them a sack, in the 8 games with play by play.
How Texas Tech’s defense played that day
Arizona’s 12 drives: 7 stopped · 5 scored. While the game was within a score they held 7 of 11.
11 tackles. He hurried the quarterback twice.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 1-yard loss. Third quarter, down 24-9.
8 tackles, including 1 more for loss, 2 passes broken up, tied for 10th-most passes broken up in FBS that week.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 9 for him; the box score credits 8.
Sacked the quarterback for a 10-yard loss on 3rd and 5. Second quarter, up 33-10.
7 tackles, including 1 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 8 for him; the box score credits 7.
A big game: a defensive touchdown: his interception went 15 yards for the score. 8 tackles, tied for the most interceptions in FBS that week.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 9 for him; the box score credits 8.
Intercepted, returned 15 yards for the score. Second quarter, made it 14-0.
Intercepted, returned 31 yards for the score. Second quarter, made it 21-0.
6 tackles, including 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
9 tackles. He hurried the quarterback once.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
3 tackles, including 1 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Conference ranks count every player in the conference with a row in that stat, any position. Career ranks count current FBS players, from the games in our log.
Ratings of the games shown run from -18 to +16 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
66tackles this seasonTFL rate
6%4 TFLSack rate
2%2 sacksPD rate
5%3 pass breakups66 tackles · 4 for loss · 1.5 sacks · 2 interceptions.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 8 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home5g | 7.8 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| Road3g | 9.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 6.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 12.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Joey McGuire
Pass share
43.2%
236 pass / 310 run
Plays / game
68.2
8 games
Team sack rate
4.2%
260 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2025
Picked for an all-conference team by at least one selector.
The No. 1,489 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the Big 12 as a senior.
2026 is in progress.
A stat line in 40 games over four seasons.
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-BIG 12 · 2ND TEAM
All-Big 12 2nd team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coachesPlayed for 2 head coaches at 2 schools: Chris Klieman and Joey McGuire.
Next stop · Transfer
Transferred to Texas Tech
