HOUSTON (AP) – Navy was no match for Texas Tech’s air force.

B.J. Symons completed the most prolific passing season in NCAA history Tuesday by throwing for 497 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Red Raiders to a 38-14 victory over the Midshipmen in the Houston Bowl.

Symons, who didn’t get the starting job until this year, finished his career with a 5,833-yard season to extend the record he already owned.

His performance lifted Tech (8-5) to the first consecutive bowl victories in school history.

The game ended a remarkable turnaround season for Navy (8-5), which won just three games over the previous three years.

Quarterback Craig Candeto, at the controls of coach Paul Johnson’s top-ranked rushing offense, ran for 90 yards and both touchdowns in his last game.

Candeto’s 2-yard TD run early in the third quarter pulled Navy within 14-7 against the larger, faster and more highly recruited Red Raiders. Navy did it all with virtually no threat of the pass as Candeto completed just two for 33 yards.

The Red Raiders’ No. 1 passing offense responded, with Symons leading them back quickly to set up a 4-yard TD run by Taurean Henderson. Keith Toogood tacked on a 21-yard field goal for a 24-7 lead.

Tech’s 110th-ranked defense never quite stopped Navy, which rolled up 289 yards rushing, but slowed the Mids enough despite a fourth-quarter scoring plunge by Candeto. Symons poured it on at the end with TD passes to Jarrett Hicks and Mickey Peters.

Tech, which beat Clemson in last year’s Tangerine Bowl, improved its postseason record to 7-19-1.

Navy, invited because the Southeastern Conference couldn’t supply a team, returned to bowl play for the first time in seven years and only the second time since 1981.

Symons ended his senior year with 52 TD passes, second only to the 54 by Houston’s David Klingler in 1994. His favorite target, Wes Welker, tied an NCAA record by catching a pass in his 41st consecutive game.

Candeto headed into his five-year service commitment with 33 career rushing touchdowns, pulling ahead of Navy all-time rushing leader Napoleon McCallum to No. 2 on the academy’s TD list.

Johnson gambled early in the second quarter when Navy fell short on a fake punt near midfield. Moments later, Symons lobbed a perfect timing pass to Peters on the right side of the end zone for the game’s first score.

Late in the quarter Navy appeared to stop Tech when Shalimar Brazier clobbered Symons for an 18-yard loss, but he bounced back to hit Nehemiah Glover three straight times for gains of 6, 12 and a 17-yard score and a 14-0 lead.

AP-ES-12-30-03 2016EST