2008 Texas vs. Texas Tech football game
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Texas vs. Texas Tech football game was a Big 12 Conference
game played between the Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders
at Jones AT&T Stadium
in Lubbock
, Texas
, United States.
The series between Texas Tech
and Texas
originated in Austin
in 1928 and the two teams have met annually since 1960. Texas led the series 43–14, with the Red Raiders last win coming in a 42–38 upset of the #3 Longhorns in Lubbock in 2002. In the 2006 contest, #5 Texas narrowly came away with a 35–31 win over an unranked Texas Tech team at Jones AT&T Stadium
. In the 2007 game, #14 Texas won 59–43.
On the day of the game, ESPN's College GameDay broadcast from Lubbock for the first time.
was sacked at the Texas 44-yard line on third down. The punt pinned the Longhorns at their own 2-yard line, and on their first play from scrimmage, they were forced into the end zone for a safety, giving Tech the first points of the game. The Red Raiders' next drive would result in a 29-yard Matt Williams
field goal
, and after the Longhorns had to punt again, Texas Tech finished the first quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run by Baron Batch
as the clock ran out, giving them a 12-0 lead following the extra point.
forced wide receiver Michael Crabtree
to fumble at the Texas Tech 29. A 43-yard Hunter Lawrence
field goal would get the Longhorns on the board, though the Red Raiders would come back to answer with a field goal of their own, giving Texas the ball with 1:37 left in the half. The Longhorns would get as far as the Tech 8 before settling for a field goal as time expired, and the first half would end with the Red Raiders leading 22-6.
returning the ensuing punt 45 yards for a touchdown to bring the Longhorns within 9. Their next drive would stall out just past midfield, but a pair of penalties had the Longhorns facing second-and-22 from their own 7-yard line. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy
was then intercepted by safety Daniel Charbonnet, who returned it 18 yards for a Red Raiders touchdown, pushing the lead back to 16 points. The teams would trade punts before the Longhorns scored again with 12 seconds left in the quarter, Malcolm Williams catching a 37-yard pass from McCoy. The Longhorns then attempted a 2-point conversion to get within 8 points, but McCoy's pass was knocked down, and Texas trailed 29-19 after three quarters.
Harrell quickly led the Red Raiders down the field on the first drive of the fourth quarter, where they would reach second-and-7 from the Texas 9, but an incompletion and a sack for a 16-yard loss would force a Matt Williams field goal attempt, which the Longhorns would block. McCoy then hit Malcolm Williams for a 91-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage, and the extra point cut the deficit to 29-26 with 11 minutes remaining. The Red Raiders' next drive would eat up 5:15 and ended with a 42-yard Donnie Carona field goal. McCoy then led the Longhorns on an 11-play, 80-yard drive, completing four of five pass attempts as well as gaining 11 rushing yards on two carries, culminating in a 4-yard touchdown run by Vondrell McGee. Lawrence's extra point made it 33-32 Longhorns, their first lead of the game, with 1:29 left on the clock. The Red Raiders returned the kickoff to their 38-yard line, where Harrell went to work, completing passes of 8, 5, 11, and 10 yards to get a first down at the Texas 28-yard line with 15 seconds remaining. Harrell's next pass was deflected to Texas safety Blake Gideon, but Gideon was unable to catch what would have been a game-clinching interception, giving Harrell another chance with 8 seconds to go. Harrell's pass went to Crabtree, who caught it near the sideline at the 6-yard line, broke a tackle, and went in for the touchdown with one second remaining. Thousands of Texas Tech fans rushed the field and had to be shooed off as officials reviewed the play to make sure Crabtree had stayed in bounds. As a result, the Red Raiders were charged with two excessive celebration penalties and had to kick off from their own 7-yard line following the extra point. However, Texas was unable to convert the kickoff for a touchdown, Texas Tech recovering an errant backwards pass attempt to ice the 39-33 win.
, 5th to 3rd in the Coaches Poll
and 2nd from 7th in the BCS rankings while Texas dropped from 1st in all three polls to 5th in the AP, 7th in the Coaches and 4th in the BCS rankings.
The game was named ESPN Classic
's game of the week.
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
game played between the Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders
2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team
The 2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University in the college football season of 2008/09. The team was coached by Mike Leach. The Red Raiders played their home games at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. The football team competed in the Division I Football Bowl...
at Jones AT&T Stadium
Jones AT&T Stadium
Jones AT&T Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, United States. It is the home field of the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team of the Big 12 Conference.-Planning and funding:Clifford B. and Audrey Jones Stadium opened in 1947...
in Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States.
Pregame
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
originated in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in 1928 and the two teams have met annually since 1960. Texas led the series 43–14, with the Red Raiders last win coming in a 42–38 upset of the #3 Longhorns in Lubbock in 2002. In the 2006 contest, #5 Texas narrowly came away with a 35–31 win over an unranked Texas Tech team at Jones AT&T Stadium
Jones AT&T Stadium
Jones AT&T Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, United States. It is the home field of the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team of the Big 12 Conference.-Planning and funding:Clifford B. and Audrey Jones Stadium opened in 1947...
. In the 2007 game, #14 Texas won 59–43.
On the day of the game, ESPN's College GameDay broadcast from Lubbock for the first time.
First quarter
The Red Raiders received the opening kickoff, but their opening drive stalled out when quarterback Graham HarrellGraham Harrell
Graham Harrell is an American football quarterback. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers and is currently on their scout team. He played college football at Texas Tech.-Early years:...
was sacked at the Texas 44-yard line on third down. The punt pinned the Longhorns at their own 2-yard line, and on their first play from scrimmage, they were forced into the end zone for a safety, giving Tech the first points of the game. The Red Raiders' next drive would result in a 29-yard Matt Williams
Matt Williams (American football)
Matt Williams is a former walk on place kicker for the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team. Williams was offered the position, two others having failed to succeed for the team at that point, after winning a year's worth of free rent in a place kicking contest at one of the Red Raiders...
field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
, and after the Longhorns had to punt again, Texas Tech finished the first quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run by Baron Batch
Baron Batch
Baron Batch is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at Texas Tech University . Batch is from Midland, Texas.-College career:...
as the clock ran out, giving them a 12-0 lead following the extra point.
Second quarter
Texas Tech's early dominance continued as the Longhorn offense went three-and-out on each of their first two drives of the second quarter, and Tech's first possession of the quarter resulted in another touchdown, extending the lead to 19-0. However, their second possession ended with the first turnover of the game when Texas linebacker Sergio KindleSergio Kindle
-Baltimore Ravens:Although deemed a first-round talent by most analysts, many teams were scared off by Kindle's often-injured knee and his off-the-field incidents. Kindle fell into the second round and was ultimately drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, 43rd overall. He said in a press conference...
forced wide receiver Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
to fumble at the Texas Tech 29. A 43-yard Hunter Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence Tried out for the job of placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin.-High school career:...
field goal would get the Longhorns on the board, though the Red Raiders would come back to answer with a field goal of their own, giving Texas the ball with 1:37 left in the half. The Longhorns would get as far as the Tech 8 before settling for a field goal as time expired, and the first half would end with the Red Raiders leading 22-6.
Third quarter
Texas received the ball to start the second half and was unable to cross midfield on their opening drive, but a 61-yard punt pinned the Red Raiders at their own 1-yard line, where they would go three-and-out, Jordan ShipleyJordan Shipley
Jordan Shipley is an American football player who currently plays wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League . He was drafted by Cincinnati in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
returning the ensuing punt 45 yards for a touchdown to bring the Longhorns within 9. Their next drive would stall out just past midfield, but a pair of penalties had the Longhorns facing second-and-22 from their own 7-yard line. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
was then intercepted by safety Daniel Charbonnet, who returned it 18 yards for a Red Raiders touchdown, pushing the lead back to 16 points. The teams would trade punts before the Longhorns scored again with 12 seconds left in the quarter, Malcolm Williams catching a 37-yard pass from McCoy. The Longhorns then attempted a 2-point conversion to get within 8 points, but McCoy's pass was knocked down, and Texas trailed 29-19 after three quarters.
Fourth quarter
Scoring summary
Postgame Effects
Texas Tech's victory raised its record of 9–0, while Texas' loss dropped it to a record of 8–1. The following Monday, the polls reflected the games outcome and Texas Tech rose from 6th to 2nd in the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, 5th to 3rd in the Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
and 2nd from 7th in the BCS rankings while Texas dropped from 1st in all three polls to 5th in the AP, 7th in the Coaches and 4th in the BCS rankings.
The game was named ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic is a sports channel that features reruns of famous sporting events, sports documentaries, and sports themed movies. Such programs includes biographies of famous sports figures or a rerun of a famous World Series or Super Bowl, often with added commentary on the event...
's game of the week.