Sheffield threw for 490 yards and seven touchdown passes in his first career start Saturday night, helping rack up 739 yards of offense
"You'll have to stay tuned, I suppose" Leach said. "That's what makes sports exciting is it always changes."
The Red Raiders backup quarterback was 33-for-41 and finished with TDs passes of 52, 6, 4, 72, 28, 12 and 25 yards to five receivers.
It was the second time this season that a Tech (4-2, 1-1) quarterback notched seven passing touchdowns. Taylor Potts, out with a concussion this week, threw seven in a 55-10 win over Rice.
Texas Tech put the game out of reach by halftime. The Wildcats (3-3, 1-1) got into Tech territory only once in the first half and punted five times.
Sheffield, who had 370 yards by halftime, threw two TDs to Detron Lewis and Torres, and one each to Tramain Swindall, Jacoby Franks and Lyle Leong.
Leach praised Sheffield poise and said he was a "real inspiration" to the team.
"He did the things you really want a quarterback to do," said Leach, who got his 80th win and is three games shy of surpassing former Red Raiders coach Spike Dykes. "He played decisive and worked the pocket really good and made some things happen with his feet not just recklessly running around but getting himself in position to make additional plays."
The junior quarterback from Pflugerville believes he earned the starting spot.
"In my eyes, yes, but it's not my decision," he said. "I've been waiting for this for a long time, and I've worked real hard for this. I'm glad things are going the way they are."
Sheffield's first-half yardage set a school record, besting the 367 yards thrown by B.J. Symons against Mississippi in 2003.
Three Red Raiders receivers tallied 90 yards or more. Lewis caught eight passes for 100 yards, Franks had three passes for 99 yards and Swindall got 97 yards on five catches.
Sheffield threw to 11 receivers before leaving the game with about 10 minutes remaining.
Wildcats coach Bill Snyder said his team couldn't stop the Red Raiders, who could "have scored 500 points" if the game had gone on long enough.
"I don't think I've ever experienced a game like this," he said. "I think we're a little bit better football team than the outcome indicated. But we certainly didn't present ourselves that way today."
Dalton, No. 10 Horned Frogs slide past Falcons in frigid conditions
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) - Andy Dalton and No. 10 Texas Christian slid their way through the icy mist, freezing cold and Air Force defense Saturday to keep their Bowl Championship Series hopes alive with a dicey 20-17 win over the Falcons.
With temperatures in the teens and a frozen mist and drizzle falling, Dalton threw for 198 yards, receiver Jeremy Kerley had a rushing touchdown and a 52-yard kickoff return and the Horned Frogs (5-0, 1-0 Mountain West) finished with 393 yards, all but 22 of them in the first three quarters.
But TCU had to fight for four quarters for this win, thanks to three turnovers, including two after driving inside the Air Force 10.
The third came late in the fourth quarter and led to an 8-yard touchdown run by Connor Dietz that cut the Air Force deficit to three with 57 seconds left. But TCU recovered the onside kick to end the suspense and improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2003.
The Falcons (3-3, 2-1) fell short because of an offense that produced only four plays of more than 15 yards and a starting quarterback, Dietz, who completed only one pass for 5 yards over the first three quarters.
With the win, TCU should stay, along with Boise State, in the top 10 - still a candidate to give the Bowl Championship Series some small-conference flavor come January.
