Joey McGuire made the quarterback change Texas Tech fans had been demanding. And after watching Tommy Castellanos lead the No. 13 Red Raiders to a 34-26 comeback victory over No. 22 Arizona on Saturday, it'll be awfully difficult to put him back on the bench.

Making the start over struggling Will Hammond, Castellanos threw two touchdown passes, rushed for 117 yards and another score, and helped Texas Tech overcome a seven-point halftime deficit in a critical Big 12 showdown at Galaxy Stadium.

MORE: No. 13 Texas Tech Rushes for Over 300 Yards, Beats No. 22 Arizona 34-26: Live Blog Updates

The victory improved Texas Tech to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, keeping its Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff hopes very much alive.

And it might have settled the quarterback controversy in Lubbock.

Castellanos wasted little time making an impression.

The Florida State transfer engineered a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on Texas Tech's opening possession, finishing it with a 24-yard scoring pass to Terrance Carter Jr.

It was the Red Raiders' first opening-drive touchdown since their season opener.

More importantly, Castellanos demonstrated exactly what had been missing from the offense: mobility, creativity and the ability to extend drives when plays broke down.

That wasn't enough to prevent Arizona from taking a 17-10 halftime lead, but Texas Tech found another gear after intermission.

Castellanos finished 11 of 24 passing for 144 yards, hardly spectacular numbers through the air. Rather, quite embarrassing numbers through the air.

His impact came from his legs and his ability to deliver in crucial situations.

With the Red Raiders trailing 23-17 late in the third quarter, Castellanos connected with Kenny Johnson for a 27-yard touchdown on fourth-and-2. The play gave Texas Tech a 24-23 advantage it wouldn't relinquish.

Running back J'Koby Williams provided the knockout punch with a 64-yard touchdown run, finishing with 175 rushing yards as Texas Tech piled up 332 yards on the ground.

The Red Raiders completely overwhelmed Arizona's rushing defense while limiting the Wildcats to just 16 rushing yards.

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita threw for 417 yards, including a 94-yard touchdown to Isaiah Mizell, but couldn't overcome the Red Raiders' second-half surge.

The victory represented a dramatic turnaround after last week's 37-24 loss at Cincinnati, when Hammond's inconsistency left McGuire searching for answers.

Following that defeat, McGuire described himself as "as frustrated as I've ever been in 32 years of coaching."

Saturday, his decision to make a change paid immediate dividends.

Castellanos wasn't perfect. His completion percentage left plenty to be desired, and Texas Tech still experienced offensive stretches that will require improvement.

But his dual-threat ability transformed the Red Raiders' attack and gave opposing defenders another problem to solve.

The win also tied a school record with Texas Tech's 13th consecutive home victory.

Now comes the bigger question.

Does McGuire hand Castellanos the offense permanently, or does Hammond remain part of the equation?

MORE: Texas Tech Benches Will Hammond, Turns to Tommy Castellanos

After Saturday's performance, Castellanos has certainly made the strongest argument possible.

Texas Tech returns home next Saturday to face West Virginia, and for the first time in weeks, the Red Raiders appear to have something they've desperately needed: a spark at quarterback.

Source: Yahoo Sports